Researchers Discover A Cannabinoid While Studying Anti-Cancer Compounds: Cannabielsoxa
The marijuana plant as well as its derivatives and primary compounds, specifically the cannabinoids THC and CBD, have a growing number of studies that point to its efficacy in preventing and managing cancer.
There are many studies showing that cannabinoids have anti-tumor properties, and that it can also induce apoptosis or cancer cell death among patients. They help prevent cancer from spreading, though of course results vary depending on many factors such as the type of cancer, cannabinoid dose, formulation, and the patient’s initial health. That said, the studies and evidence of cannabis treating and preventing cancer has been so promising that scientists and researchers continue studying its effects on cancer.
So far, the studies have primarily focused on THC and CBD, the main cannabinoids in the marijuana plant. That said, some minor cannabinoids have also shown to exhibit potential anti-cancer properties. Yet there’s so much we don’t know about using cannabis for cancer therapies, and there are ongoing obstacles to research including regulatory and legal barriers, limited funding, restricted sample sizes, lack of clinician knowledge, and so much more. But we’re not losing hope!
In fact, scientists have just discovered a brand-new cannabinoid in the marijuana plant while studying existing cannabinoids that were known for their promising anti-cancer properties. Researchers in South Korea were successfully able to isolate a novel cannabinoid, cannabielsoxa and in the process, they learned a great deal of valuable medical information.
The findings, which were published in a peer-reviewed medical journal called Pharmaceuticals, documents how this is the first time in history that a chlorin-type compound was ever successfully isolated.
The team of investigators, which were made up of researchers from the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Wonkwang University, and other notable institutions in Korea, analyzed 11 compounds from marijuana flowers and studied its impacts on neuroblastoma cells.
“Eleven compounds were isolated from the flowers of C.sativa, including two new compounds, namely cannabielsoxa, 132-hydroxypheophorbide c ethyl ester, and six known cannabinoids, together with the first isolation of chlorin-type compounds from this plant,” said the investigators. The compounds that were found to inhibit neuroblastoma cells were cannabidiolic acid (CBDA0, delta-8 THC, and cannabichromene (CBC) among others. “The cannabinoid compounds had stronger inhibitory effects on neuroblastoma cells than chlorin-type compounds,” said the researchers.
While cannabielsoxa did not demonstrate anti-cancer properties in this study, the other cannabinoids they worked on were found to have more potent cancer-fighting effects than the chlorin-type compounds.
Neuroblastoma is a rare childhood cancer; in the United States alone, around 800 children are diagnosed with this cancer yearly. Globally, there were over 5,500 cases of neuroblastoma in 2021. The outlook for kids with neuroblastoma varies depending on the severity and stage of the disease. Some current therapies may work, such as chemotherapy and radiation, though they do have limitations – and that’s where cannabis can help as a supplementary treatment.
CBD and THC Help Fight Cancer.. But They’re Not The Only Compounds That Can!
Studies like this reinforce the fact that THC and CBD are not the only compounds in marijuana that have been studied for its anti-cancer properties. However, we can’t deny that they are indeed the most studied cannabinoids.
Both THC and CBD contain potent properties that can help cancer patients in many ways, even helping reduce the side effects of chemotherapy in order to increase the chances of successful treatment.
Studies even show that THC can help improve cognitive function among patients with advanced stage cancer. After all, the psychological stress, treatments, various biological mechanisms under attack, and of course the effects of cancer can all contribute to cognitive decline.
But according to a study by Danish researchers, oral THC in the form of dronabinol that was administered to 6 patients who had advanced cases of cancer was found to be effective in improving cognitive performance. On top of that, it was also found to be helpful in reducing depression and pain!
“Treating palliative cancer patients with dronabinol for 14 days… seems to improve cognition in different domains, including in speed of mental processing, nonverbal and in-the-moment reasoning, as well as short-term memory and working memory,” wrote the researchers.
Dronabinol is a synthetic form of THC, which is also sold under the names Syndros and Marinol.
“In this group of patients, the short-term use of dronabinol did not impair cognition. Rather, the treatment was associated with improved cognition, especially in the processing and reasoning domains. The study also found relief of pain, fatigue, and depressive symptoms, which may have had an indirect beneficial effect on cognitive functions,” wrote the researchers.
Even Terpenes May Help Fight Cancer
Cannabinoids, particularly THC and CBD, are not the only compounds in marijuana that have can help prevent and inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
Cannabis terpenes, which are naturally occurring compounds in plants that are responsible for its unique aroma and flavor, have been found to contain valuable medicinal and therapeutic benefits. Terpenes are also found in many other plants, animals, fruits, flowers, and herbs. The results of a study out of China, which were published in the journal Fitoterapia: The Journal For The Study Of Medicinal Plants, involved Chinese researchers in Shanghai who studied hemp oil extracts that contained β-caryophyllene and α-humulene.
They found that these compounds in the hemp oil extract contributed to its powerful anti-cancer and pain-killing properties. In fact, the Chinese scientists even reported that the hemp oil was significant in inhibiting tumor growth and reducing neuropathic pain among animal subjects.
“These results reveal that HEO [hemp essential oil] plays a role not only in tumor chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy treatment, but also in anti-tumor treatment which offers key information for new strategies in cancer treatment and provides reference for the medicinal development of hemp,” they concluded.
Conclusion
The marijuana plant contains dozens of compounds, including cannabinoids and terpenes, that demonstrate promising anti-cancer activity. They work in different ways to fight cancer, such as by inducing cell death, preventing metastasis, and inhibiting the proliferation and migration of cancer cells. With more studies into the plant’s anti-cancer properties, thousands of lives can potentially be saved.
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