Friday, 25 July 2014
34 Medical Studies Proving Cannabis Cures Cancer
http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/07/27/34-medical-studies-proving-cannabis-cures-cancer/
Michael Taillard, Guest
Waking Times
There’s still a lot of confusion across the nation about whether or not marijuana is effective for cancer patients. Odds are you’ve heard something about it but weren’t sure whether the information was reliable or definitive. So, in order to help clear things up, here is a list of 34 studies showing that marijuana cures cancer, categorized by the type of cancers being cured in each study. As you sort through the articles, note that the consistent theme between them is that cannabis shrinks tumors and selectively targets cancer cells. As bills and voter initiatives to legalize medical marijuana spread from state to state, remember that we’re not just talking about mitigating the side effects of chemo (though this is another viable use), we’re talking about curing the cancer itself as well as preventing its spread. I’ve taken the liberty of only including articles from credible scientific journals, removing any biased or otherwise improperly cited studies. Enjoy!
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11479216
http://www.jneurosci.org/content/21/17/6475.abstract
http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/308/3/838.abstract
http://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/10/1/90.abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18025276
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21915267
http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/early/2006/05/25/jpet.106.105247.full.pdf+html
http://www.molecular-cancer.com/content/9/1/196
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22776349
http://www.pnas.org/content/95/14/8375.full.pdf+html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21097714?dopt=Abstract
http://www.nature.com/onc/journal/v27/n3/abs/1210641a.html
http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/66/13/6748.abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3339795/?tool=pubmed
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22594963
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16908594
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.23584/abstract
http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org/content/70/5/1612.abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15313899
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15313899
Michael Taillard, Guest
Waking Times
There’s still a lot of confusion across the nation about whether or not marijuana is effective for cancer patients. Odds are you’ve heard something about it but weren’t sure whether the information was reliable or definitive. So, in order to help clear things up, here is a list of 34 studies showing that marijuana cures cancer, categorized by the type of cancers being cured in each study. As you sort through the articles, note that the consistent theme between them is that cannabis shrinks tumors and selectively targets cancer cells. As bills and voter initiatives to legalize medical marijuana spread from state to state, remember that we’re not just talking about mitigating the side effects of chemo (though this is another viable use), we’re talking about curing the cancer itself as well as preventing its spread. I’ve taken the liberty of only including articles from credible scientific journals, removing any biased or otherwise improperly cited studies. Enjoy!
Cures Brain Cancer
http://www.nature.com/bjc/journal/v95/n2/abs/6603236a.htmlhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11479216
http://www.jneurosci.org/content/21/17/6475.abstract
http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/308/3/838.abstract
http://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/10/1/90.abstract
Cures Mouth and Throat Cancer
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20516734Cures Breast Cancer
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20859676http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18025276
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21915267
http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/early/2006/05/25/jpet.106.105247.full.pdf+html
http://www.molecular-cancer.com/content/9/1/196
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22776349
http://www.pnas.org/content/95/14/8375.full.pdf+html
Cures Lung Cancer
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22198381?dopt=Abstracthttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21097714?dopt=Abstract
http://www.nature.com/onc/journal/v27/n3/abs/1210641a.html
Cures Uterine, Testicular, and Pancreatic Cancers
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/healthprofessional/page4http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/66/13/6748.abstract
Cures Prostate Cancer
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12746841?dopt=Abstracthttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3339795/?tool=pubmed
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22594963
Cures Colorectal Cancer
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22231745Cures Ovarian Cancer
http://www.aacrmeetingabstracts.org/cgi/content/abstract/2006/1/1084Curse Blood Cancer
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12091357http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16908594
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.23584/abstract
http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org/content/70/5/1612.abstract
Cures Skin Cancer
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12511587Cures Liver Cancer
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21475304Cures Biliary Tract Cancer
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19916793Cures Bladder Cancer
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/803983 (Sign-up required to view study)Cures Cancer in General
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12514108http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15313899
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15313899
THC Cannabinoid Helpful in Treatment of Parkinson’s
Add this November 2013 report – soon to be published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry (in next month’s hard copy issue) – to the long list of scientific research, documenting marijuana’s THC cannabinoid as demonstrating remarkable positive medicinal effects. Already accessible to the public, the National Institute of Health was the first to disseminate the report online:
“Δ9-TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL IS PROTECTIVE THROUGH PPARγ DEPENDENT MITOCHONDRIAL BIOGENESIS IN A CELL CULTURE MODEL OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE.”
Abstract
INTRODUCTION:
Cannabinoids such as Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) are neuroprotective in animal and cell culture models of Parkinson’s disease (PD). In a PD cell culture model we recently demonstrated that Δ9-THC is neuroprotective through activation of the nuclear receptor peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ). Furthermore, activation by specific agonists rosiglitazone and pioglitazone, has also been found neuroprotective. PPARγ is a nuclear receptor whose activation can lead to the expression of proteins involved in the de novo synthesis of mitochondria. One such protein is the PPARγ co-activator 1 α (PGC1α) as it co-activates NRF-1 mediated gene expression which is essential for the production of nuclear encoded, mitochondrial proteins. Here we investigate the effect of Δ9-THC and pioglitazone on mitochondrial biogenesis.
METHODS:
SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells were differentiated with retinoic acid and exposed to the PD relevant mitochondrial complex 1 inhibitor, MPP+. Δ9-THC and pioglitazone were co-administered with the minimum concentration of the specific PPARγ antagonist T0070907 able to block the protective effect of each compound respectively for 48 hours. The production of reactive oxygen species was then measured, proteins were extracted for Western blotting and total DNA was extracted to determine mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content by QPCR.
RESULTS:
Δ9-THC resulted in significant inhibition of MPP+ induced oxidative stress which was completely reversed by T0070907 whereas pioglitazone induced reduction in oxidative stress did not seem to be PPARγ dependent. Accordingly, both pioglitazone and Δ9-THC were able to restore MPP+ induced down-regulation of PGC1α, to the level of untreated control. This effect was inhibited by T0070907 in the case of Δ9-THC but not pioglitazone. Whilst NRF1 expression remained unaffected by all treatments, the mitochondrial transcription factor (tfam) which is necessary for mtDNA replication was reduced with MPP+ and up-regulated by Δ9-THC only. Similarly, mtDNA content and the mitochondrial marker COX4 were only increased by Δ9-THC.
CONCLUSIONS:
Even though Δ9-THC and pioglitazone are both protective against MPP+ only Δ9-THC induces PPARγ dependent mitochondrial biogenesis, a mechanism that may be beneficial for the treatment of PD.
Cannabinoids Destroy Leukemia Cells, New Study Finds
14 October 2013
St George's, University of London
New research has shown that the non-hallucinogenic components of cannabis could act as effective anti-cancer agents.The anti-cancer properties of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary hallucinogenic component of cannabis, has been recognised for many years, but research into similar cannabis-derived compounds, known as cannabinoids, has been limited.
The study was carried out by a team at St George’s, University of London. It has been published in the journal Anticancer Research.
The team, led by Dr Wai Liu and colleagues carried out laboratory investigations using a number of cannabinoids, either alone or in combination with each other, to measure their anti-cancer actions in relation to leukaemia.
Of six cannabinoids studied, each demonstrated anti-cancer properties as effective as those seen in THC. Importantly, they had an increased effect on cancer cells when combined with each other.
Dr Liu said: “This study is a critical step in unpicking the mysteries of cannabis as a source of medicine. The cannabinoids examined have minimal, if any, hallucinogenic side effects, and their properties as anti-cancer agents are promising.
“These agents are able to interfere with the development of cancerous cells, stopping them in their tracks and preventing them from growing. In some cases, by using specific dosage patterns, they can destroy cancer cells on their own.
“Used in combination with existing treatment, we could discover some highly effective strategies for tackling cancer. Significantly, these compounds are inexpensive to produce and making better use of their unique properties could result in much more cost effective anti-cancer drugs in future.”
This latest research is part of a growing portfolio of studies into the medicinal properties of cannabis by the research team at St George’s. The next step will be to examine in the laboratory these compounds in combination with existing anti-cancer treatments and study treatment schedules to identify strategies that will maximise their efficacy.
The study examined two forms of cannabidiol (CBD), two forms of cannabigerol (CBG) and two forms of cannabigevarin (CBGV). These represent the most common cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant apart from THC.
http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/33/10/4373.abstract
Cannabis may help reverse dementia: study
Cannabis may help reverse dementia: study
Date
February 6, 2013
Amy Corderoy
Amy Corderoy
Health Editor, Sydney Morning Herald
View more articles from Amy Corderoy
It makes most people a little foggy-headed, but scientists are investigating whether an active ingredient in cannabis could actually stave off dementia.
A team from Neuroscience Research Australia is in the early stages of research examining if one of the main active ingredients in cannabis, called cannabidiol, could reverse some of the symptoms of memory loss in animals.
Tim Karl, a senior research fellow with the group, said cannabidiol does not have the same psychoactive effects as the main component of marijuana, THC, but it has been found to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and other effects that could be beneficial for the brain.
“Back in the day cannabis was used for medical purposes, I'm talking 200 years, 100 years back, then at some point people discovered it had other effects and, as quite often happens in our society, people decided it was a bad drug,” he said.
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“But it's not one compound, it is a mixture of 60 different compounds, and you just have to look at those different compounds because some of them might be good for you.”
His study involved injecting cannabidiol into mice that had been bred to have similar symptoms as those seen in Alzheimer's, as well as examining what would happen to brain cells treated with the drug.
Dr Karl found that when the mice were given the cannabidiol they showed drastic improvement on parts of the tests that were related to recognising and remembering objects and other mice.
“It basically brings the performance of the animals back to the level of healthy animals,” he said. “You could say it cured them, but we will have to go back and look at their brains to be sure.”
The study was done as part of the PhD of student David Cheng, who has also collected the brains of the mice and intends to examine them to see if they showed physical improvements.
As part of the research, which is being presented at the Australian Neuroscience Society annual meeting in Melbourne this week, the team also treated animal brain cells that produced a protein linked to the development of plaques in the brain in humans with Alzheimer's disease, amyloid precursor protein.
The cell research, done at the University of Wollongong, found treating the cells with cannabidiol also reduced the amount of the harmful protein that they produced.
Dr Karl said there had been case reports in medical literature of marijuana smokers who had developed Alzheimer's disease, only to find their smoking seemed to relieve some of their symptoms.
“Most of the components [of marijuana] are detrimental, they worsen your cognitive performance and have psychoactive effects… cannabidiol seems to not have any of these negative effects,” he said.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/cannabis-may-help-reverse-dementia-study-20130206-2dxsk.html#ixzz2j49Wiotc
THC May Treat Inflammatory Diseases and Cancer By Altering Genes
http://www.jbc.org/content/early/2013/11/07/jbc.M113.503037.short#ref-list-1
An intriguing new government funded study published by the Journal of Biological Chemistry has found that THC may actually alter certain genes in our body, which may result in a positive effect on a number of conditions, especially cancers and inflammatory diseases.
Researchers using rat models found that THC positively altered 13 different microRNAs, including mir-690, which is strongly linked to inflammatory responses; the study claims that; “Among the differentially expressed, miRNA-690 was highly overexpressed in THC-MDSC (~16 fold)”.
According to researchers; “Select miRNA such as mir-690 targeting genes involved in myeloid expansion and differentiation likely play crucial roles in this process and therefore in cannabinoid-induced immunosuppression.”
They conclude that these results indicate that THC may treat “inflammatory diseases as well as cancer.”
The study was funded by the U.S. National Institute of Health.
An intriguing new government funded study published by the Journal of Biological Chemistry has found that THC may actually alter certain genes in our body, which may result in a positive effect on a number of conditions, especially cancers and inflammatory diseases.
Researchers using rat models found that THC positively altered 13 different microRNAs, including mir-690, which is strongly linked to inflammatory responses; the study claims that; “Among the differentially expressed, miRNA-690 was highly overexpressed in THC-MDSC (~16 fold)”.
According to researchers; “Select miRNA such as mir-690 targeting genes involved in myeloid expansion and differentiation likely play crucial roles in this process and therefore in cannabinoid-induced immunosuppression.”
They conclude that these results indicate that THC may treat “inflammatory diseases as well as cancer.”
The study was funded by the U.S. National Institute of Health.
The Side Effects of Chemotherapy on the Body
Cancer cells divide more quickly than healthy cells, and chemotherapy drugs effectively target those cells. Unfortunately, fast-growing cells that are healthy can be damaged too. There are many different chemotherapy drugs with the potential for many different side effects. These effects vary from person to person and from treatment to treatment.
The Side Effects of Chemotherapy on the Body Cancer cells divide more quickly than healthy cells, and chemotherapy drugs effectively target those cells. Unfortunately, fast-growing cells that are healthy can be damaged too. There are many different chemotherapy drugs with the potential for many different side effects. These effects vary from person to person and from treatment to treatment.
Factors that play a role in side effects include other ongoing treatments, previous health issues, age, and lifestyle. Some patients experience few side effects while others feel quite ill. Although most side effects clear up shortly after treatment ends, some may continue well after chemotherapy has ended, and some may never go away. Chemotherapy drugs are most likely to affect cells in the digestive tract, hair follicles, bone marrow, mouth, and reproductive system. However, cells in any part of the body may be damaged.
See more at: http://www.healthline.com/health/cancer/effects-on-body#sthash.FCZnXkCW.dpuf
Cannabis extract treatment for terminal acute lymphoblastic leukemia with a Philadelphia chromosome mutation.
Authors
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24474921
- 1Brampton, Ont., Canada.
- 2Ajax, Ont., Canada.
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the white blood cells and is typically well treated with combination chemotherapy, with a remission state after 5 years of 94% in children and 30-40% in adults. To establish how aggressive the disease is, further chromosome testing is required to determine whether the cancer is myeloblastic and involves neutrophils, eosinophils or basophils, or lymphoblastic involving B or T lymphocytes. This case study is on a 14-year-old patient diagnosed with a very aggressive form of ALL (positive for the Philadelphia chromosome mutation). A standard bone marrow transplant, aggressive chemotherapy and radiation therapy were revoked, with treatment being deemed a failure after 34 months. Without any other solutions provided by conventional approaches aside from palliation, the family administered cannabinoid extracts orally to the patient. Cannabinoid resin extract is used as an effective treatment for ALL with a positive Philadelphia chromosome mutation and indications of dose-dependent disease control. The clinical observation in this study revealed a rapid dose-dependent correlation.KEYWORDS:
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Cannabinoids, Hemp oil, Philadelphia chromosomehttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24474921
New research reveals how cannabis compound could slow tumour growth
http://www.uea.ac.uk/mac/comm/media/press/2014/July/cancer-cannabis
It is hoped that the findings could help develop a synthetic equivalent with anti-cancer properties.
The research was co-led with the Universidad Complutense de Madridin, Spain. The team used samples of human cancer cells to induce tumours in mice. They then targeted the tumours with doses of the cannabis compound THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol). They found that two cell receptors in particular were responsible for the drug’s anti-tumour effects.
Dr Peter McCormick, from UEA’s school of Pharmacy, said: “THC, the major active component of marijuana, has anti-cancer properties. This compound is known to act through a specific family of cell receptors called cannabinoid receptors. However, it was unclear which of these receptors were responsible for the anti-tumour effects of THC.
“We show that these effects are mediated via the joint interaction of CB2 and GPR55 - two members of the cannabinoid receptor family. Our findings help explain some of the well-known but still poorly understood effects of THC at low and high doses on tumour growth.
“There has been a great deal of interest in understanding the molecular mechanisms behind how marijuana, and specifically THC, influence cancer pathology.
“There has also been a drive in the pharmaceutical industry to create synthetic equivalents that might have anti-cancer properties.
“By identifying the receptors involved we have provided an important step towards the future development of therapeutics that can take advantage of the interactions we have discovered to reduce tumour growth.”
Dr McCormick added that cancer sufferers should not be tempted to self-medicate.
“Our research uses an isolated chemical compound and using the correct concentration is vital. Cancer patients should not use cannabis to self-medicate, but I hope that our research will lead to a safe synthetic equivalent being available in the future.”
‘Targeting CB2 –GPR55 receptor heteromers modulates cancer cell signalling’ is published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Scientists at the University of East Anglia have
shown how the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis could reduce
tumour growth in cancer patients.
Research published today reveals the existence of
previously unknown signaling platforms which are responsible for the
drug’s success in shrinking tumours. It is hoped that the findings could help develop a synthetic equivalent with anti-cancer properties.
The research was co-led with the Universidad Complutense de Madridin, Spain. The team used samples of human cancer cells to induce tumours in mice. They then targeted the tumours with doses of the cannabis compound THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol). They found that two cell receptors in particular were responsible for the drug’s anti-tumour effects.
Dr Peter McCormick, from UEA’s school of Pharmacy, said: “THC, the major active component of marijuana, has anti-cancer properties. This compound is known to act through a specific family of cell receptors called cannabinoid receptors. However, it was unclear which of these receptors were responsible for the anti-tumour effects of THC.
“We show that these effects are mediated via the joint interaction of CB2 and GPR55 - two members of the cannabinoid receptor family. Our findings help explain some of the well-known but still poorly understood effects of THC at low and high doses on tumour growth.
“There has been a great deal of interest in understanding the molecular mechanisms behind how marijuana, and specifically THC, influence cancer pathology.
“There has also been a drive in the pharmaceutical industry to create synthetic equivalents that might have anti-cancer properties.
“By identifying the receptors involved we have provided an important step towards the future development of therapeutics that can take advantage of the interactions we have discovered to reduce tumour growth.”
Dr McCormick added that cancer sufferers should not be tempted to self-medicate.
“Our research uses an isolated chemical compound and using the correct concentration is vital. Cancer patients should not use cannabis to self-medicate, but I hope that our research will lead to a safe synthetic equivalent being available in the future.”
‘Targeting CB2 –GPR55 receptor heteromers modulates cancer cell signalling’ is published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Wednesday, 19 February 2014
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"Cannabis Oil" is an evaporated solution of tetrahydrocannabinol and various other compounds produced by a solvent extraction of cannabis....
En.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_oilWhat Is Simpson-Cannabis Oil
The Science of Cannabis, The published studies the published reports. The introduction of Simpson-Cannabis Oil, what it is and how it works and how and where to get it! Discussions on health during treatments as well as personal success stories pertaining to the use of Simpson-Cannabis Oil as a remedy and in some cases a cure, as well as possible side effects associated with the product. can be objectively assessed from this site.
What is Simpson or Cannabis Oil? And How Does It Help!
Wikipedia
Simpson - Cannabis Oil is an evaporated solution of tetrahydrocannabinol and various other compounds produced by a solvent extraction of cannabis....
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_oil
How Does It Work
“Cannabinoids” is a blanket term covering a family of complex chemicals (both natural and man-made) that lock on to cannabinoid receptors – protein molecules on the surface of cells.
Humans have been using cannabis plants for medicinal and recreational purposes for thousands of years, but cannabinoids themselves were first purified from cannabis plants in the 1940s. The structure of the main active ingredient of cannabis plants – delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – was discovered in the 60s. It wasn’t until the late 1980s that researchers found the first cannabinoid receptor, followed shortly by the discovery that we create cannabinoid-like chemicals within our own bodies, known as endocannabinoids.
The CB1 and CB2 receptors.
We have two different types of cannabinoid receptor, CB1 and CB2, which are found in different locations and do different things. CB1 is mostly found on cells in the nervous system, including certain areas of the brain and the ends of nerves throughout the body, while CB2 receptors are mostly found in cells from the immune system. Because of their location in the brain, it’s thought that CB1 receptors are responsible for the infamous ‘high’ (known as psychoactive effects) resulting from using cannabis.
Over the past couple of decades scientists have found that endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors are involved in a vast array of functions in our bodies, including helping to control brain and nerve activity (including memory and pain), energy metabolism, heart function, the immune system and even reproduction. Because of this molecular multitasking, they’re implicated in a huge range of illnesses, from cancer to neurodegenerative diseases.
Can Cannabinoids treat cancer & other diseases?
There is no doubt that cannabinoids – both natural and synthetic – are interesting biological molecules. Hundreds of scientists around the world are investigating their potential in cancer and other diseases – brought together under the blanket organisation The International Cannabinoid Research Society.
Researchers first looked at the anticancer properties of cannabinoids back in the 1970s, and many hundreds of scientific papers looking at cannabinoids and cancer have been published since then.
Harvard University scientists reported that THC slows tumor growth in common lung cancer and “significantly reduces the ability of the cancer to spread.” What’s more, like a heat-seeking missile, THC selectively targets and destroys tumor cells while leaving healthy cells unscathed. Conventional chemotherapy drugs, by contrast, are highly toxic; they indiscriminately damage the brain and body.
There is mounting evidence, according to a report in Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry, that cannabinoids “represent a new class of anticancer drugs that retard cancer growth, inhibit angiogenesis [the formation of new blood cells that feed a tumor] and the metastatic spreading of cancer cells.”
Dr. Sean McAllister, a scientist at the Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, has been studying cannabinoid compounds for 10 years in a quest to develop new therapeutic interventions for various cancers. Backed by grants from the National Institute of Health (and with a license from the DEA), McAllister discovered that cannabidiol (CBD), a nonpsychoactive component of the marijuana plant, is a potent inhibitor of breast cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, and tumor growth.
In 2007, McAllister published a detailed account of how cannabidiol kills breast cancer cells and destroys malignant tumors by switching off expression of the ID-1 gene, a protein that appears to play a major role as a cancer cell conductor.
The ID-1 gene is active during human embryonic development, after which it turns off and stays off. But in breast cancer and several other types of metastatic cancer, the ID-1 gene becomes active again, causing malignant cells to invade and metastasize. “Dozens of aggressive cancers express this gene,” explains McAllister. He postulates that CBD, by virtue of its ability to silence ID-1 expression, could be a breakthrough anti-cancer medication.
“Cannabidiol offers hope of a non-toxic therapy that could treat aggressive forms of cancer without any of the painful side effects of chemotherapy,” says McAllister, who is seeking support to conduct clinical trials with the marijuana compound on breast cancer patients.
McAllister’s lab also is analyzing how CBD works in combination with first-line chemotherapy agents. His research shows that cannabidiol, a potent antitumoral compound in its own right, acts synergistically with various anti-cancer pharmaceuticals, enhancing their impact while cutting the toxic dosage necessary for maximum effect.
Simpson - Cannabis Oil is an evaporated solution of tetrahydrocannabinol and various other compounds produced by a solvent extraction of cannabis....
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_oil
How Does It Work
“Cannabinoids” is a blanket term covering a family of complex chemicals (both natural and man-made) that lock on to cannabinoid receptors – protein molecules on the surface of cells.
Humans have been using cannabis plants for medicinal and recreational purposes for thousands of years, but cannabinoids themselves were first purified from cannabis plants in the 1940s. The structure of the main active ingredient of cannabis plants – delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – was discovered in the 60s. It wasn’t until the late 1980s that researchers found the first cannabinoid receptor, followed shortly by the discovery that we create cannabinoid-like chemicals within our own bodies, known as endocannabinoids.
The CB1 and CB2 receptors.
We have two different types of cannabinoid receptor, CB1 and CB2, which are found in different locations and do different things. CB1 is mostly found on cells in the nervous system, including certain areas of the brain and the ends of nerves throughout the body, while CB2 receptors are mostly found in cells from the immune system. Because of their location in the brain, it’s thought that CB1 receptors are responsible for the infamous ‘high’ (known as psychoactive effects) resulting from using cannabis.
Over the past couple of decades scientists have found that endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors are involved in a vast array of functions in our bodies, including helping to control brain and nerve activity (including memory and pain), energy metabolism, heart function, the immune system and even reproduction. Because of this molecular multitasking, they’re implicated in a huge range of illnesses, from cancer to neurodegenerative diseases.
Can Cannabinoids treat cancer & other diseases?
There is no doubt that cannabinoids – both natural and synthetic – are interesting biological molecules. Hundreds of scientists around the world are investigating their potential in cancer and other diseases – brought together under the blanket organisation The International Cannabinoid Research Society.
Researchers first looked at the anticancer properties of cannabinoids back in the 1970s, and many hundreds of scientific papers looking at cannabinoids and cancer have been published since then.
Harvard University scientists reported that THC slows tumor growth in common lung cancer and “significantly reduces the ability of the cancer to spread.” What’s more, like a heat-seeking missile, THC selectively targets and destroys tumor cells while leaving healthy cells unscathed. Conventional chemotherapy drugs, by contrast, are highly toxic; they indiscriminately damage the brain and body.
There is mounting evidence, according to a report in Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry, that cannabinoids “represent a new class of anticancer drugs that retard cancer growth, inhibit angiogenesis [the formation of new blood cells that feed a tumor] and the metastatic spreading of cancer cells.”
Dr. Sean McAllister, a scientist at the Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, has been studying cannabinoid compounds for 10 years in a quest to develop new therapeutic interventions for various cancers. Backed by grants from the National Institute of Health (and with a license from the DEA), McAllister discovered that cannabidiol (CBD), a nonpsychoactive component of the marijuana plant, is a potent inhibitor of breast cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, and tumor growth.
In 2007, McAllister published a detailed account of how cannabidiol kills breast cancer cells and destroys malignant tumors by switching off expression of the ID-1 gene, a protein that appears to play a major role as a cancer cell conductor.
The ID-1 gene is active during human embryonic development, after which it turns off and stays off. But in breast cancer and several other types of metastatic cancer, the ID-1 gene becomes active again, causing malignant cells to invade and metastasize. “Dozens of aggressive cancers express this gene,” explains McAllister. He postulates that CBD, by virtue of its ability to silence ID-1 expression, could be a breakthrough anti-cancer medication.
“Cannabidiol offers hope of a non-toxic therapy that could treat aggressive forms of cancer without any of the painful side effects of chemotherapy,” says McAllister, who is seeking support to conduct clinical trials with the marijuana compound on breast cancer patients.
McAllister’s lab also is analyzing how CBD works in combination with first-line chemotherapy agents. His research shows that cannabidiol, a potent antitumoral compound in its own right, acts synergistically with various anti-cancer pharmaceuticals, enhancing their impact while cutting the toxic dosage necessary for maximum effect.
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