Cannabis contains phytocannabinoids, which are molecules with properties that range from intoxicating to therapeutic. Cannabinoids utilize several strategies to fight off different cellular malignancies, including oral and colon cancer.
A pharmaceutical company, in collaboration with the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv, released research in 2020. This earlier study found benefits from cannabichromene (CBC) and cannabigerol (CBG) for treating gastrointestinal cancers. Their latest paper looks into how effectively cannabinoids kill colon cancer, the third most common type of cancer in the US. (1)
THC and CBG, or CBD for colon cancer
Swedish researchers once killed colon cancer with CBG’s anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic mechanisms. (2) Following their 2020 study, the Israeli company recently researched more cannabinoids against cancer. But delta-8 and delta-9 THC instead ranked most effective at killing colon cancer.
CBD effectively prevented cellular clusters in the colon, known as polyps. Cannabidiol less effectively slowed the spread of cancerous colon cells. Several other cannabinoids produced a symphony of effects against cancer, though.
Personalized canna-medicine
Cannabinoids do not treat every type of cancer. And different cannabinoids are only cytotoxic or therapeutic against specific types of cellular mutations. The study recently conducted by a pharmaceutical company found anti-cancer properties in phyto but also synthetic cannabinoids.
Clinicians ideally design cancer treatments around each individual’s complex immune system. This means the most effective cannabinoid, or synergistic blend of cannabis constituents, for colon cancer depends on the person.
Let us know in the comments if you treated cancer with cannabinoids.
Sources
- Ben-Ami Shor, D.; Hochman, I.; Gluck, N.; Shibolet, O.; Scapa, E. The Cytotoxic Effect of Isolated Cannabinoid Extracts on Polypoid Colorectal Tissue. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23, 1366. doi/10.3390/ijms231911366
- Ruhaak LR, Felth J, Karlsson PC, Rafter JJ, Verpoorte R, Bohlin L. Evaluation of the cyclooxygenase inhibiting effects of six major cannabinoids isolated from Cannabis sativa. Biol Pharm Bull. 2011;34(5):774-778. doi:10.1248/bpb.34.774