Study: Cannabis Agonists Produce Anti-Cancer Effects In Human Liver Cancer Cells

Thursday, 11 October 2012

Tehran, Iran: The administration of synthetic cannabinoid agonists reduce cell viability in human hepacarcinoma cells and may be a potential option for the treatment of liver cancer, according to preclinical data published online in the journal Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods.
Investigators from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology assessed the anti-cancer properties of two synthetic cannabinoids, CB65 (CB2 receptor agonist) and ACEA (CB1 receptor agonist) in human hepacarcinoma cells.
Authors reported that the administration of cannabinoids reduced malignant cell viability and cell invasion in a dose-dependent manner. "These data suggest ACEA and CB65 as an option for novel treatment of hepatocellular cancer," they concluded.
Previous studies have demonstrated that cannabinoids inhibit tumor cell growth and selectively induced apoptosis by different cell signaling pathways in various types of malignant cells, including gliomas (brain cancers) and lymphomas, prostate, breast, lung, skin, and pancreatic cancer cells.
For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, "Evaluation of Anti-invasion Effect of Cannabinoids on Human Hepatocarcinoma Cells," is available in Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods.