A new study published in Archives of Microbiology reports that fungi living inside marijuana plants may offer a surprising source of antidiabetic compounds.
The research was carried out by scientists from Banaras Hindu University and the CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, who examined endophytic fungi drawn from various tissues of Cannabis sativa.
The team isolated 56 fungal strains and screened them for activity against enzymes closely tied to diabetes, including alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, DPP-IV, and lipase. Two species, Aspergillus micronesiensis and Nodulisporium verrucosum, stood out for their strong inhibitory effects, each demonstrating IC50 values under 100 micrograms per milliliter. Their extracts also showed low cytotoxicity and increased cell viability in laboratory testing.
Researchers then tested whether the fungal compounds could influence insulin production. Using MIN6 pancreatic beta cells, they found that the extracts significantly boosted insulin secretion, offering an early indication of therapeutic value. Chemical analysis identified several metabolites with known antidiabetic properties, and further testing confirmed functional groups associated with these molecules.
Taken together, the findings suggest that fungi naturally living within marijuana plants could represent a new and underrecognized pathway for developing future antidiabetic treatments.
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