The marijuana compound cannabidiol (CBD) “inhibits epithelial ovarian cancer”, according to the results of a new study.
The study is being published in the upcoming issue of the Journal of Natural Products, with the abstract published online ahead of print by the US National Library of Medicine. It was conducted by researchers from Harbin Medical University, the National Key Laboratory of Frigid Zone Cardiovascular Diseases and the Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, all in China, as well as the University of Calgary in Canada.
“Epithelial ovarian cancer is among the deadliest gynecological tumors worldwide”, notes the study’s researchers. “Studies have shown that cannabidiol has antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic, cytotoxic, antiangiogenic, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties. However, its therapeutic value for epithelial ovarian tumors remains unclear. ”
With that in mind, this study aimed “to investigate the effects of cannabidiol on epithelial ovarian tumors and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.”
The study states “The results showed that cannabidiol has a significant inhibitory effect on epithelial ovarian tumors. In vivo experiments demonstrated that cannabidiol could inhibit tumor growth by modulating the intestinal microbiome and increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria.”
It continues; “Western blot assays showed that cannabidiol bound to EGFR/AKT/MMPs proteins and suppressed EGFR/AKT/MMPs expression in a dose-dependent manner. Network pharmacology and molecular docking results suggested that cannabidiol could affect the EGFR/AKT/MMPs signaling pathway.”
