DOI: 10.11118/nutrinet2026_013

THE POTENTIAL OF HEMP BIOMASS AS A SOURCE OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AGAINST STAPHYLOCOCCAL AND STREPTOCOCCAL INFECTIONS IN ANIMALS

Paulová Tereza^1,2, Lucie Malíková^1,2, Davide Lanzoni³, Tomáš Taubner², Matěj Malík⁴, Markéta Houdková⁵, Pěchoučková Eva^1,2

¹ Department of Microbiology, Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic

² Department of Nutritional Physiology and Animal Product Quality, Institute of Animal Science Prague (IAS), Přátelství 815, 104 00 Prague, Czech Republic

³ Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences (DIVAS), Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Dell’Università 6, 29600 Lodi, Italy

⁴ Department of Agroenviromental Chemistry and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic

⁵ Department of Crop Science and Agroforestry, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic

Bacterial infections caused by staphylococci and streptococci pose a serious burden on animal production. The growing antimicrobial resistance of these pathogens significantly limits treatment options and underscores the need to search for alternative antimicrobial agents. In this context, Cannabis sativa L. is one of the most intensively studied plants due to its high content of secondary metabolites, particularly cannabinoids and terpenoids. The aim of this study was to compare the in vitro antimicrobial activity of ethanol extracts from five industrial hemp cultivars (Bialobrzeskie, Felina 32, Futura 75, mixed, and Santhica 27) against strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Streptococcus dysgalactiae, including both antibiotic-resistant and susceptible forms. Antibacterial activity was determined using the broth microdilution method and expressed as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). All five tested extracts exhibited inhibitory activity against all tested strains, with MIC values ranging from 128 to 2048 µg/ml. The most effective was the extract from the Santhica 27 variety (MIC 128 µg/ml against Str. agalactiae and clinical isolates of S. aureus), followed by the Bialobrzeskie and mixed varieties. Extracts from the Felina 32 and Futura 75 varieties exhibited only weak activity. The highest total cannabinoid content was determined in the extract from the Bialobrzeskie variety (21,740.94 µg/g), and the lowest in the Futura 75 extract (4,713.11 µg/g). Higher antibacterial efficacy correlated with higher cannabinoid content, and the observed effect likely results from the synergistic action of the entire complex of active compounds. The Santhica 27, Bialobrzeskie, and mixed varieties appear to be the most promising for further research. Follow-up in vivo experiments are necessary to verify their therapeutic potential.

Klíčová slova: antibacterial; bacteria; cannabinoids; cannabis; pathogen;

stránky: 113-123, online: 2026