Table 2.
Potential use of cannabinoids in cancer treatment: pro and cons evidence
| Tumour (cell type) | Cannabinoid (concentration or dose) | Anticancer effect | Procancer effect | Mechanism of action | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronchial epithelium |
THC |
|
+ |
Molecular abnormalities and histopatological alterations |
Barsky et al. (1998) |
| Murine hepatoma cell line (Hepa) |
THC (2–10 μg/ml) |
|
+ |
Induction of CYP1A1 |
Roth et al. (2001) |
| Lung cancer cell line (A549) |
THC |
|
+ |
Inhibition of Fas-induced caspase-3 activity |
Sarafian et al. (2001) |
| Endothelial cell line |
THC (1.77 or 3.95%) |
|
+ |
Increased ROS generation |
Sarafian et al. (1999) |
| Murine Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL); alveolar cell carcinoma (L1C2) |
THC (5–40 mg/kg) |
|
+ |
In vivo, decreased production of cytokines and/or CB2-mediated immune suppression |
Zhu et al. (2000) |
| |
CBD (⩾5 μg/ml) |
|
+ |
|
Srivastava et al. (1998) |
| Human breast cancer cell lines (MCF7; EFM-19) |
AEA (2–10 μM) 2-AG (2–10 μM) HU210 (⩾4 μM) |
+ |
|
Inhibition of the mitogen-induced stimulation of the G0/G1–S phase |
De Petrocellis et al. (1998) |
| |
AEA (⩾2 μM) |
+ |
|
|
Melck et al. (2000) |
| |
2-AG, HU210 (⩾1 μM) |
|
|
|
|
| Human breast cancer cell lines (MCF7; MDA-MB-231) Mouse mammary carcinoma (4T1) |
THC (⩽5 μM) |
|
+ |
Increased tumour growth and metastasis; in vivo, decreased antitumour immune response |
McKallip et al. (2005) |
| Androgen-independent prostate cancer cells (PC3, DU145) |
AEA, R-(+)-MET (⩾2 μM) |
+ |
|
Inhibition of mitogen-induced proliferation, G1 arrest |
Mimeault et al. (2003) Melck et al. (2000) |
| |
THC (1 μM) |
+ |
|
Apoptosis |
Ruiz et al. (1999) |
| Androgen-dependent prostate cancer cells (LNCaP) |
AEA, R-(+)-MET (⩾2 μM) |
+ |
|
Inhibition of mitogen-induced proliferation, G1 arrest |
Mimeault et al. (2003) |
| Androgen-dependent prostate cancer cells (LNCaP) |
WIN-55,212-2 (⩾2.5 μM) |
+ |
|
Dose- and time-dependent induction of apoptosis; decreased expression of AR and PSA |
Sarfaraz et al. (2005) |
| Androgen-dependent prostate cancer cells (LNCaP) |
R-(+)-MET (0.1–0.2 μM) |
|
+ |
Increased proliferation and AR expression |
Sanchez et al. (2003) |
| Rat glioma cell line (C6) |
THC (1 μM) |
+ |
|
Apoptosis via ceramide de novo synthesis In vivo, regression of C6-derived glioma |
Galve-Roperh et al. (2000) |
| |
JWH133, WIN-55,212-2 (0.1 μM) |
+ |
|
Apoptosis via ceramide de novo synthesis |
Sanchez et al. (2001a, 2001b) |
| |
WIN-55,212-2 (15 μM) |
+ |
|
Apoptosis via activation of caspase cascade |
Ellert-Miklaszewska et al. (2005) |
| Human astrocitoma (grade IV) |
JWH-133 (50 μg/die) |
+ |
|
In vivo, inhibited growth of tumours induced in deficient mice |
Sanchez et al. (2001a, 2001b) |
| Human glioblastoma multiforme cell line (GBM) |
THC (1 μM) WIN-55,212-2 |
+ |
|
Decreased proliferation and increased cell death |
McAllister et al. (2005) |
| K-ras-transformed FRTL-5 thyroid cells (KiMol) |
Met-F-AEA (0.5 ng/kg/dose) |
+ |
|
In vivo, inhibited growth of tumours induced in nude mice |
Bifulco et al. (2001) |
| Mouse skin carcinoma cells (PDV-C57) |
JWH-133, WIN-55,212-2 (1.58 μg) |
+ |
|
In vivo, inhibited growth of tumours induced in nude mice |
Casanova et al. (2003) |
| Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) |
JWH-133 (25 nM) |
+ |
|
Induction of apoptosis, inhibited migration |
Blazquez et al. (2003) |
| Lung cancer cells (NCI-H292) |
THC (0.1–0.3 μM) |
|
+ |
Increased proliferation |
Hart et al. (2004) |
| Glioblastoma cell line (U373-MG) |
|
|
|
|
|
| Human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231) |
Met-F-AEA (10 μM and |
+ |
|
Inhibition of adhesion and migration |
Grimaldi et al. (2006) |
| Mouse breast cancer cell line (TSA-E1) | 0.5 mg/kg/dose) | In vivo, reduction of number and dimension of metastatic nodes |