Category Archives: Cancer

Endocannabinoids are potential inhibitors of glioblastoma multiforme proliferation

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Journal of Integrative Medicine

“Globally, it is evident that glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive malignant cancer with a high mortality rate and no effective treatment options. Glioblastoma is classified as the stage-four progression of a glioma tumor, and its diagnosis results in a shortened life expectancy. Treatment options for GBM include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgical intervention, and conventional pharmacotherapy; however, at best, they extend the patient’s life by a maximum of 5 years. GBMs are considered incurable due to their high recurrence rate, despite various aggressive therapeutic approaches which can have many serious adverse effects.

Ceramides, classified as endocannabinoids, offer a promising novel therapeutic approach for GBM. Endocannabinoids may enhance the apoptosis of GBM cells but have no effect on normal healthy neural cells. Cannabinoids promote atypical protein kinase C, deactivate fatty acid amide hydrolase enzymes, and activate transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and TRPV2 to induce pro-apoptotic signaling pathways without increasing endogenous cannabinoids. In previous in vivo studies, endocannabinoids, chemically classified as amide formations of oleic and palmitic acids, have been shown to increase the pro-apoptotic activity of human cancer cells and inhibit cell migration and angiogenesis.

This review focuses on the biological synthesis and pharmacology of endogenous cannabinoids for the enhancement of cancer cell apoptosis, which have potential as a novel therapy for GBM.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36805391/

“As discussed above, endocannabinoids could prove to be a viable alternative treatment for GBM.”

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2095496423000055?via%3Dihub

Delving into The Death Signaling Pathway of Hemp Oil and Gamma Radiation in Solid Tumor Bearing Mice

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New publication in Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology – Institute of Molecular Biomedicine

“Many studies reported the diverse therapeutic potential of essential oils, including cancer prevention and treatment. Many mechanisms involved in these processes including antioxidant, antimutagenic and antiproliferative effects, or by enhancing immune function and surveillance, inducing enzymes, and enhancing detoxification, and modulating multidrug resistance.

Hemp oil, obtained from Cannabis sativa L. seeds, is known for its nutritive, health-enhancing properties and bioactivity.

Adult female Swiss albino mice were injected with viable Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells (2.5 x 106 cells/mouse) then administered with hemp oil (20 mg/kg) daily for 10 consecutive days pre and post exposure to 6Gy whole body gamma radiation. Hemp oil induced a significant increase in Beclin1, VMP1, LC3, cytochrome c and Bax. Otherwise, the oil showed a significant decrease in Bcl2 and P13k either alone or in combination with ɤ-radiation.

Finally this study revealed the role of hemp oil in inducing two cell death types ;autophagy and apoptosis as it may be applied as an adjuvant in cancer treatment.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36812473/

https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/cjpp-2022-0319

A novel mechanism of cannabidiol in suppressing ovarian cancer through LAIR-1 mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis

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“Cannabidiol (CBD) is a nonpsychoactive cannabinoid compound. It has been shown that CBD can inhibit the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells, but the underlying specific mechanism is unclear.

We previously presented the first evidence for the expression of leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin-like receptor 1 (LAIR-1), a member of the immunosuppressive receptor family, in ovarian cancer cells. In the present study, we investigated the mechanism by which CBD inhibits the growth of SKOV3 and CAOV3 ovarian cancer cells, and we sought to understand the concurrent role of LAIR-1.

In addition to inducing ovarian cancer cell cycle arrest and promoting cell apoptosis, CBD treatment significantly affected the expression of LAIR-1 and inhibited the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling axis and mitochondrial respiration in ovarian cancer cells. These changes were accompanied by an increase in ROS, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and suppression of mitochondrial respiration and aerobic glycolysis, thereby inducing abnormal or disturbed metabolism and reducing ATP production. A combined treatment with N-acetyl-l-cysteine and CBD indicated that a reduction in ROS production would restore PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway signaling and ovarian cancer cell proliferation. We subsequently confirmed that the inhibitory effect of CBD on the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal axis and mitochondrial bioenergy metabolism was attenuated by knockdown of LAIR-1. Our animal studies further support the in vivo anti-tumor activity of CBD and suggest its mechanism of action.

In summary, the present findings confirm that CBD inhibits ovarian cancer cell growth by disrupting the LAIR-1-mediated interference with mitochondrial bioenergy metabolism and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. These results provide a new experimental basis for research into ovarian cancer treatment based on targeting LAIR-1 with CBD.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36810933/

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/tox.23752

Phytoradiotherapy to enhance cancer treatment outcomes with cannabidiol, bitter melon juice, and plant hemoglobin

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Frontiers - Crunchbase Company Profile & Funding

“Despite technological advances in radiation therapy for cancer treatment, many patient populations still experience mediocre survival percentages, local control, and quality of life. Additionally, much of the world lacks access to expensive, modern treatment options. The need for innovative, cost-effective solutions that can improve patient treatment outcomes is essential.

Phytomedicines have been shown to induce apoptotic tumor cell death, diminish tumor progression, reduce cancer incidence, alleviate harmful hypoxic conditions, and more. While an ample amount of research is available that characterizes many phytomedicines as having anti-cancer properties that increase tumor cell killing/control and mitigate the harmful side effects of radiation damage, little work has been done to investigate the synergistic effect of phytoradiotherapy: combining radiation treatment with phytomedicines.

In this study, a protocol for testing the radiosensitizing effects of phytomedicines was validated and used to investigate the well-known plant based medicine cannabidiol (CBD) and the lesser-known medicinal fruit Bitter Melon. Additionally, based on its high concentration of plant hemoglobin which has been shown to abate hypoxia, the African-indigenous Justicia plant was tested in pancreatic adenocarcinoma mouse models.

The studies reveal that these phytomedicines can effectively enhance tumor cell killing, minimize tumor growth, and prolong mice survival. There is certainly the need for additional research in this regard, however, phytoradiotherapy: the use of phytomedicines to enhance radiation therapy treatment outcomes, continues to show potential as a promising, innovative way to improve cancer care.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36776362/

“Results showing that both CBD and BMJ are effective radiosensitizing phytomedicines demonstrate promise that the two plant-based medicines have a potential future in radiation therapy as treatment enhancing drugs at a much more affordable rate than their synthetic alternatives.”

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.1085686/full

Cannabidiol regulates apoptosis and autophagy in inflammation and cancer: A review

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Frontiers - Crunchbase Company Profile & Funding

“Cannabidiol (CBD) is a terpenoid naturally found in plants. The purified compound is used in the treatment of mental disorders because of its antidepressive, anxiolytic, and antiepileptic effects. CBD can affect the regulation of several pathophysiologic processes, including autophagy, cytokine secretion, apoptosis, and innate and adaptive immune responses. However, several authors have reported contradictory findings concerning the magnitude and direction of CBD-mediated effects. For example, CBD treatment can increase, decrease, or have no significant effect on autophagy and apoptosis. These variable results can be attributed to the differences in the biological models, cell types, and CBD concentration used in these studies. This review focuses on the mechanism of regulation of autophagy and apoptosis in inflammatory response and cancer by CBD. Further, we broadly elaborated on the prospects of using CBD as an anti-inflammatory agent and in cancer therapy in the future.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36755953/

“The prospects of cannabinoid treatment in inflammatory and cancer diseases are worth exploring. The influence of cannabinoids on cell fate should be explored further. A detailed understanding of the regulation of autophagy and apoptosis by cannabinoids will not only improve the understanding of the biology of the disease but will also be crucial in finding better therapeutic targets, thereby generating new combined therapies.”

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2023.1094020/full

The evolution of cannabinoid receptors in cancer

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“Cannabis sativa (cannabis) has been used as a therapeutic treatment for centuries treating various diseases and disorders. However, racial propaganda led to the criminalization of cannabis in the 1930s preventing opportunities to explore marijuana in therapeutic development. The increase in recreational use of cannabis further grew concern about abuse, and lead to further restrictions and distribution of cannabis in the 1970s when it was declared to be a Schedule I drug in the USA. In the late 1990s in some states, legislation assisted in legalizing the use of cannabis for medical purposes under physician supervision.

As it has been proven that cannabinoids and their receptors play an essential role in the regulation of the physiological and biological processes in our bodies. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is the complex that regulates the cell-signaling system consisting of endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids), cannabinoid receptors, and the enzymes responsible for the synthesis and degradation of the endocannabinoids. The ECS along with phytocannabinoids and synthetic cannabinoids serves to be a beneficial therapeutic target in treating diseases as they play roles in cell homeostasis, cell motility, inflammation, pain-sensation, mood, and memory.

Cannabinoids have been shown to inhibit proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenesis and even restore homeostasis in a variety of models of cancer in vitro and in vivo. Cannabis and its receptors have evolved into a therapeutic treatment for cancers.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36750231/

https://wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsbm.1602

Inhalant cannabidiol impedes tumor growth through decreased tumor stemness and impaired angiogenic switch in NCI-H1437-induced human lung cancer model

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SpringerLink

“Lung cancer remains the most chronic form of cancer and the leading cause of cancer mortality in the world. Despite significant improvements in the treatment of lung cancer, the current therapeutic interventions are only partially effective, necessitating the continued search for better, novel alternative treatments. Angiogenesis and cancer stem cells play a central role in the initiation and propagation of cancers. Tumor angiogenesis is triggered by an angiogenic switch when pro-angiogenic factors exceed anti-angiogenic components. Although many anti-angiogenic agents are used in cancer treatment, there are therapeutic limitations with significant side effects.

In recent years, cannabinoids have been investigated extensively for their potential anti-neoplastic effects. Our previous findings showed that cannabidiol (CBD) could impede tumor growth in mouse models of melanoma and glioblastoma.

Importantly, CBD has been suggested to possess anti-angiogenic activity.

In this study, we tested, for the first time, inhalant CBD in the treatment of heterotopic lung cancer and whether such potential effects could reduce cancer stem cell numbers and inhibit tumor angiogenesis.

We implanted NCI H1437 human lung cancer cells in nude mice and treated the mice with inhalant CBD or placebo. The outcomes were measured by tumor size and imaging, as well as by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometric analysis for CD44, VEGF, and P-selectin.

Our findings showed that CBD decreased tumor growth rate and suppressed expression of CD44 and the angiogenic factors VEGF and P-selectin.

These results suggest, for the first time, that inhalant CBD can impede lung cancer growth by suppressing CD44 and angiogenesis.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36737540/

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13577-023-00869-8

Cannabidiol alters mitochondrial bioenergetics via VDAC1 and triggers cell death in hormone-refractory prostate cancer

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Pharmacological Research

“In spite of the huge advancements in both diagnosis and interventions, hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) remains a major hurdle in prostate cancer (PCa). Metabolic reprogramming plays a key role in PCa oncogenesis and resistance. However, the dynamics between metabolism and oncogenesis are not fully understood.

Here, we demonstrate that two multi-target natural products, cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG), suppress HRPC development in the TRansgenic Adenocarcinoma of the Mouse Prostate (TRAMP) model by reprogramming metabolic and oncogenic signalling.

Mechanistically, CBD increases glycolytic capacity and inhibits oxidative phosphorylation in enzalutamide-resistant HRPC cells. This action of CBD originates from its effect on metabolic plasticity via modulation of VDAC1 and hexokinase II (HKII) coupling on the outer mitochondrial membrane, which leads to strong shifts of mitochondrial functions and oncogenic signalling pathways.

The effect of CBG on enzalutamide-resistant HRPC cells was less pronounced than CBD and only partially attributable to its action on mitochondria. However, when optimally combined, these two cannabinoids exhibited strong anti-tumor effects in TRAMP mice, even when these had become refractory to enzalutamide, thus pointing to their therapeutical potential against PCa.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36736415/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661823000397?via%3Dihub

Tetrahydrocannabinols: potential cannabimimetic agents for cancer therapy

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SpringerLink

“Tetrahydrocannabinols (THCs) antagonize the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors, whose signaling to the endocannabinoid system is essential for controlling cell survival and proliferation as well as psychoactive effects. Most tumor cells express a much higher level of CB1 and CB2; THCs have been investigated as potential cancer therapeutic due to their cannabimimetic properties. To date, THCs have been prescribed as palliative medicine to cancer patients but not as an anticancer modality.

Growing evidence of preclinical research demonstrates that THCs reduce tumor progression by stimulating apoptosis and autophagy and inhibiting two significant hallmarks of cancer pathogenesis: metastasis and angiogenesis.

However, the degree of their anticancer effects depends on the origin of the tumor site, the expression of cannabinoid receptors on tumor cells, and the dosages and types of THC. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on the molecular processes that THCs target for their anticancer effects. It also emphasizes the substantial knowledge gaps that should be of concern in future studies. We also discuss the therapeutic effects of THCs and the problems that will need to be addressed in the future. Clarifying unanswered queries is a prerequisite to translating the THCs into an effective anticancer regime.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36696005/

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10555-023-10078-2

The Effect of Cannabis Plant Extracts on Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma and the Quest for Cannabis-Based Personalized Therapy

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cancers-logo

“Cannabis sativa plants have a wide diversity in their metabolite composition among their different chemovars, facilitating diverse anti-tumoral effects on cancer cells. This research examined the anti-tumoral effects of 24 cannabis extracts representative of three primary types of chemovars on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The chemical composition of the extracts was determined using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Mass Spectrometry (MS). The most potent anti-tumoral extracts were type III decarboxylated extracts, with high levels of Cannabidiol (CBD). We identified extract 296 (CAN296) as the most potent in inducing HNSCC cell death via proapoptotic and anti-proliferative effects. Using chemical fractionation of CAN296, we identified the CBD fraction as the primary inducer of the anti-tumoral activity. We succeeded in defining the combination of CBD with cannabichromene (CBC) or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) present in minute concentrations in the extract, yielding a synergic impact that mimics the extract’s full effect. The cytotoxic effect could be maximized by combining CBD with either CBC or THC in a ratio of 2:1. This research suggests using decarboxylated CBD-type extracts enriched with CBC for future preclinical trials aimed at HNSCC treatment.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36672446/

“The survival rate of head and neck cancer has only improved slightly over the last quarter century, raising the need for novel therapies to better treat this disease. This research examined the anti-tumor effects of 24 different types of cannabis extracts on head and neck cancer cells. Type III decarboxylated extracts with high levels of Cannabidiol (CBD) were the most effective in killing cancer cells. From these extracts, the specific active molecules were recognized. Combining CBD with Cannabichromene (CBC) in a 2:1 ratio made the effect even stronger. These findings can help doctors match cannabis extracts to treat head and neck cancer. CBD extracts enriched with the non-psychoactive CBC can offer patients more effective treatment. Further research is needed to develop new topical treatments from such extracts.”

“This research suggests using whole cannabis extracts, which are decarboxylated CBD-rich, to induce cancer cell death. In recent years many cancer patients have been treated with cannabis extracts as a palliative treatment. Based on this research, these chemovars can provide additional anti-cancer properties in addition to the palliative effects that cancer patients can benefit from.”

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/2/497