Cannabinoids found in
marijuana have shown to inhibit tumor cell growth. This is achieved
in how they effect signaling pathways in the brain. Treatment with
cannabis has been found to be cheaper to produce and have less side
effects and toxicity to other conventional chemo therapies and drugs,
encouraging further research to make it a mainstream
medicine.(Source)
In
1998 it was first recorded that delta-9-THC promoted cell death in
glioma (brain tumor) cells in cultures.(Source)
In 2000 a study was done with THC as well as WIN
55,212-2 which is a chemical that shows effects similar to
cannabinoids, with a completley different chemical structure. Both
increased ceramides which inhibited cancer cell growth.(Source)
Ceramides are fatty acids that tumor cells seem to invite in.
Ceramides communicate with the lysosomes in the cells to tell them to
burst, killing the cancer cell. Ceramides are also important in hair
and skin acting as a protective shield against the
environment.(Source)
A study in 2003 found that
THC in laboratory tests create cell destruction in cells by modifying
the signal pathways inside the tumor, allowing it to disrupt growth
or kill the tumor. (Source)
With much discussion about THC benefiting tumor cell death, research
also concluded that the cannabinoid CBD also showed equally promising
results in tumor cell death without the psycho active properties.
(Source)
In 2004 it was found that
cannabinoids reduce tumor growth by affecting the vascular
endothelial growth factor, VEGF, or the function of giving blood
supply to tissue when circulation is inadequate. The blocking of the
pathway to blood flow of tumors showed a reduction in the tumor
cells. (Source)
In 2005 a study found that
THC did a better job of only inhibiting the growth of tumor cells as
opposed to healthy cells more effectively than the chemical medicine
WIN
55,212-2. (Source)
Professor
Guzman who conducted a lot of these research studies found in 2006
that patients with reoccuring glioblastoma multiforme showed a
reduction in tumors. (Source)
In 2010 it was found in research that a widely used chemotherapy drug
used to treat brain tumors called temozolomide (TMZ) increased
effectiveness when administered with THC. (Source)
A report was published in 2011 in which two children using cannabis
to treat cerebellar and optic pathway tumors by inhibiting the growth
effectively.(Source)
In 2014 glioma, an
aggressive and hard to treat cancer in the brain was treated with CBD
and THC along with radiotherapy. Results found that the combination
of the cannabinoids found in marijuana improved the radiotherapy by
prepping the glioma cells to receive the ionizing radiation more
effectively and reducing the tumor cells.(Source)
Source:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21336992
