Two compounds derived from the cannabis plant have shown powerful antifungal properties in a new study led by researchers at Macquarie University. The compounds—cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabidivarin (CBDV)—were found to kill dangerous fungi more quickly than current treatments, offering hope for new therapies against infections that affect millions of people worldwide.
The study, published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, focused on the deadly fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, which is listed by the World Health Organization as a priority health threat.
This fungus can lead to life-threatening infections, especially when it spreads to the brain or lungs, causing conditions like meningitis. Existing treatments are often slow to work and can have limited effectiveness, making the search for better solutions urgent.
In lab experiments, CBD and CBDV rapidly killed Cryptococcus neoformans. These cannabinoids also proved effective against other fungal species, including dermatophytes that cause common skin infections such as athlete’s foot. The speed at which the cannabinoids worked surprised the researchers, as they outperformed standard antifungal treatments in these tests.
Dr. Hue Dinh, a postdoctoral research fellow at Macquarie University’s School of Natural Sciences, led the study alongside Associate Professor Amy Cain. The research team included pharmacologist Professor Mark Connor and Dr. Marina Junqueira Santiago from the Macquarie School of Medicine, along with collaborators from the Universities of Sydney and New South Wales.
Dr. Dinh explained that the team chose to investigate cannabinoids because they are already approved for human use in other contexts, like pain management or epilepsy, meaning their safety profiles are well known.
Developing brand-new drugs from scratch can take decades, so using compounds with an established track record can speed up the process of finding new treatments.
Out of the hundreds of natural chemicals in the cannabis plant, CBD and CBDV stood out in their ability to kill harmful fungi.
The researchers tested the cannabinoids against 33 different fungal pathogens from medical, veterinary, and environmental sources. Both CBD and CBDV performed well against various strains of Cryptococcus and other fungi, suggesting they have broad antifungal potential.
The research team didn’t stop at lab testing. They also conducted experiments on live wax moth larvae (Galleria mellonella) to demonstrate that cannabinoids could work in living organisms, not just in petri dishes. These results bring the science one step closer to real-world applications.
Dr. Dinh noted that topical treatments—such as creams or oils applied to the skin—are likely to be the first practical use for these findings. Cannabinoids are not easily turned into injectable drugs, making it more difficult to treat serious internal infections like fungal pneumonia or meningitis with this method.
However, for skin-related fungal infections, which are common and often stubborn, CBD-based products could become a convenient and effective option.
“Imagine being able to buy CBD oil over the counter to treat athlete’s foot or similar infections,” said Dr. Dinh. “It’s not just exciting scientifically—it could really help people.”
One additional advantage of using cannabinoids is that fungi may be less likely to develop resistance to them, compared to traditional antifungal medications. This makes cannabinoids a promising option in the fight against growing antimicrobial resistance.
The research team is now working with commercial partners to develop CBD-based products that could eventually be sold in pharmacies and stores. While more testing and development are still needed, this discovery could pave the way for a new generation of antifungal treatments derived from a plant that continues to surprise scientists with its medical potential.
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The research findings can be found in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.
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