It has become progressively evident over the eld that sure compounds present in cannabis may have antitumour properties against certain case of Cancer the Crab - at least in in vitro fashion model . However , petty was live about the cellular signaling systems affect in arbitrate these ostensible effect . In a recently publish mouse subject field , researchers from theUniversity of East Angliahave identify antecedently unknown signaling platforms that mediate the anticancer essence of THC , the chief psychotropic ingredient of cannabis . The study has been published inThe Journal of Biological Chemistry .
The function of cannabis extract for medicinal purposes is well documented throughout chronicle . Some of theearliest lie with recordscome from the third millennium BC where ancient Chinese texts have been found key out its usefulness in pain relief . In recent years , interest group in the medicative holding of marijuana has been spark off as our reason of the endogenic cannabinoid , or endocannabinoid , system has increased .
Theendocannabinoid systemrefers to the collection of molecules and receptors that are involved in a divers range of a function of physiological processes such as appetency and painfulness . It also mediates the psychoactive issue of marijuana . It isknownthat THC , one of the substances bump in ganja , exerts various effects by interacting with certain cannabinoid sensory receptor found throughout the body , but scientists were n’t sure which receptors were responsible for the plain antitumor effects observed in animal or lab - based studies .
To line up out more , researchers first have tumor in mice using human cancer jail cell and then administer different doses of THC . They found that interactions with two cannabinoid receptors , CB2 and GPR55 , which are overexpressed in neoplasm cubicle facilitate some of the antitumor effects of THC . They found that these sensory receptor organise a complex with unique signaling properties that are crucial to the response of neoplasm jail cell to THCin vitro(in the lab ) andin vivo(in whole organisms ) . The researcherssuggestthat unmediated targeting of these two particular receptors may be an in force method to reduce tumor ontogeny .
“ Our findings serve explain some of the well - known but still badly understood outcome of THC at gloomy and high acid on tumour growth , ” Dr Peter McCormick said in a news show - press release . However , he made it extravagantly clear to theHuffington Postthat correct dosage is decisive as lab studies have shown that the wrong dosage can actuallypromotecancer growing . He thereforestressesthe importance of not contract these results to mean that cancer patients should start ego - medicating .
It is also important to note that while various research laboratory or animal studies have highlighted the potential antitumor effects of cannabis compound such as THC or CBD , no human trialshave yet been issue , so at this leg we can not say whether these chemical compound or synthetic derivative will live up to expectations . Cancers of all eccentric are notoriously unmanageable to treat , and treatments that seem rotatory in models often display completely unlike effect in human trial . However , the findings presented here are certainly predict and may direct to the development of drug that can take vantage of the cellular interactions identified in this study .
[ Header image , " LEGAL Colorado Marijuana Grow , " by Brett Levin , via Flickr , used in accordance with CC BY 2.0 ]
