The active ingredient in marijuana killed a potentially fatal brain tumor in some rats, researchers found. Injections of THC-containing cannabinoids eradicated the cancer in one-third of the rats and extended the life of another third, according to the findings published in the journal Nature Medicine.
Scientists at Complutense University in Spain said they injected cannabinoids directly into the cells. The malignant cells had been implanted in rat brains.
Manuel Guzman, lead researcher, and colleagues suggested that cannabinoids kill glioma cells by inducing apoptosis, or programmed cell death, via a second messenger protein called ceramide. These findings, the researchers say, suggest a new therapeutic approach for glial tumors, known to be peculiarly resistant to traditional therapy.
Daniele Piomelli of the University of California, Irvine, writes in an accompanying News & Views article that with aggressive treatment currently available for glioma , the median survival rate is 40 to 50 weeks. "This bleak scenario alone should provide sufficient motivation to continue [these cannabinoid] studies," he said.
- - - - -
For today's top stories and breaking news, click to the ThirdAge Top 100.
