Can Hemp Help? Low-THC Cannabis and Non-THC Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Cancer
Cannabis has been used to relieve the symptoms of disease for thousands of years. However, social and political biases have limited effective interrogation of the potential benefits of cannabis and polarised public opinion. Further, the medicinal and clinical utility of cannabis is limited by the ps...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-04-01
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| Series: | Cancers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/12/4/1033 |
| _version_ | 1797569860009459712 |
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| author | Farjana Afrin Mengna Chi Andrew L. Eamens Ryan J. Duchatel Alicia M. Douglas Jennifer Schneider Craig Gedye Ameha S. Woldu Matthew D. Dun |
| author_facet | Farjana Afrin Mengna Chi Andrew L. Eamens Ryan J. Duchatel Alicia M. Douglas Jennifer Schneider Craig Gedye Ameha S. Woldu Matthew D. Dun |
| author_sort | Farjana Afrin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cannabis has been used to relieve the symptoms of disease for thousands of years. However, social and political biases have limited effective interrogation of the potential benefits of cannabis and polarised public opinion. Further, the medicinal and clinical utility of cannabis is limited by the psychotropic side effects of ∆<sup>9</sup>-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆<sup>9</sup>-THC). Evidence is emerging for the therapeutic benefits of cannabis in the treatment of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, with potential efficacy as an analgesic and antiemetic for the management of cancer-related pain and treatment-related nausea and vomiting, respectively. An increasing number of preclinical studies have established that ∆<sup>9</sup>-THC can inhibit the growth and proliferation of cancerous cells through the modulation of cannabinoid receptors (CB1R and CB2R), but clinical confirmation remains lacking. In parallel, the anti-cancer properties of non-THC cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD), are linked to the modulation of non-CB1R/CB2R G-protein-coupled receptors, neurotransmitter receptors, and ligand-regulated transcription factors, which together modulate oncogenic signalling and redox homeostasis. Additional evidence has also demonstrated the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabinoids, and this may prove relevant in the context of peritumoural oedema and the tumour immune microenvironment. This review aims to document the emerging mechanisms of anti-cancer actions of non-THC cannabinoids. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:17:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7c303a06f80f4af784e8217775157552 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6694 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:17:24Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancers |
| spelling | doaj.art-7c303a06f80f4af784e82177751575522023-11-19T22:27:45ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942020-04-01124103310.3390/cancers12041033Can Hemp Help? Low-THC Cannabis and Non-THC Cannabinoids for the Treatment of CancerFarjana Afrin0Mengna Chi1Andrew L. Eamens2Ryan J. Duchatel3Alicia M. Douglas4Jennifer Schneider5Craig Gedye6Ameha S. Woldu7Matthew D. Dun8Cancer Signalling Research Group, Medical Biochemistry, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaCancer Signalling Research Group, Medical Biochemistry, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaCentre for Plant Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaCancer Signalling Research Group, Medical Biochemistry, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaCancer Signalling Research Group, Medical Biochemistry, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaPriority Research Centre for Cancer Research, Innovation & Translation, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, AustraliaCancer Signalling Research Group, Medical Biochemistry, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaCancer Signalling Research Group, Medical Biochemistry, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaCancer Signalling Research Group, Medical Biochemistry, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaCannabis has been used to relieve the symptoms of disease for thousands of years. However, social and political biases have limited effective interrogation of the potential benefits of cannabis and polarised public opinion. Further, the medicinal and clinical utility of cannabis is limited by the psychotropic side effects of ∆<sup>9</sup>-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆<sup>9</sup>-THC). Evidence is emerging for the therapeutic benefits of cannabis in the treatment of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, with potential efficacy as an analgesic and antiemetic for the management of cancer-related pain and treatment-related nausea and vomiting, respectively. An increasing number of preclinical studies have established that ∆<sup>9</sup>-THC can inhibit the growth and proliferation of cancerous cells through the modulation of cannabinoid receptors (CB1R and CB2R), but clinical confirmation remains lacking. In parallel, the anti-cancer properties of non-THC cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD), are linked to the modulation of non-CB1R/CB2R G-protein-coupled receptors, neurotransmitter receptors, and ligand-regulated transcription factors, which together modulate oncogenic signalling and redox homeostasis. Additional evidence has also demonstrated the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabinoids, and this may prove relevant in the context of peritumoural oedema and the tumour immune microenvironment. This review aims to document the emerging mechanisms of anti-cancer actions of non-THC cannabinoids.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/12/4/1033cannabinoidscannabidiol∆<sup>9</sup>-tetrahydrocannabinolcannabinoid receptorsG-protein-coupled receptorscancer |
| spellingShingle | Farjana Afrin Mengna Chi Andrew L. Eamens Ryan J. Duchatel Alicia M. Douglas Jennifer Schneider Craig Gedye Ameha S. Woldu Matthew D. Dun Can Hemp Help? Low-THC Cannabis and Non-THC Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Cancer Cancers cannabinoids cannabidiol ∆<sup>9</sup>-tetrahydrocannabinol cannabinoid receptors G-protein-coupled receptors cancer |
| title | Can Hemp Help? Low-THC Cannabis and Non-THC Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Cancer |
| title_full | Can Hemp Help? Low-THC Cannabis and Non-THC Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Cancer |
| title_fullStr | Can Hemp Help? Low-THC Cannabis and Non-THC Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Cancer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can Hemp Help? Low-THC Cannabis and Non-THC Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Cancer |
| title_short | Can Hemp Help? Low-THC Cannabis and Non-THC Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Cancer |
| title_sort | can hemp help low thc cannabis and non thc cannabinoids for the treatment of cancer |
| topic | cannabinoids cannabidiol ∆<sup>9</sup>-tetrahydrocannabinol cannabinoid receptors G-protein-coupled receptors cancer |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/12/4/1033 |
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