Researchers at São Paulo State University have demonstrated that cannabis extracts containing cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can inhibit the growth of canine prostate carcinoma cell lines, potentially offering new avenues for cancer treatment.
Published in Veterinary Sciences, the study states that prostate cancer “is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, even when diagnosed at an early stage in humans and dogs. Dogs have a significant incidence of spontaneous prostate cancer, which is highly similar to human androgen-independent prostate cancer and represents a valuable model for comparative studies.”
Researchers claim that CBD and THC “have demonstrated antiproliferative and anti-invasive properties in different tumor types. In this study, CBD or THC-rich extracts inhibited the proliferation of two canine prostatic carcinoma cell lines, PC1 and PC2, showing an IC50 of 3.43 and 3.57 μM for CBD rich extracts, and 4.90 and 4.48 μM THC rich extracts, respectively.
Cell death was also observed with both Annexin V and Propidium iodide staining for the canine cell lines.
“These results provide new information concerning the use of rich oil in canine PC and open a promising opportunity for further in vitro and in vivo studies to establish the mechanisms of action of these compounds using dogs as a natural model for prostatic carcinoma”, claims the study.
Researchers conclude:
We confirmed that ERCBD and ERTHC can inhibit cell proliferation, in addition to causing cell death through necrosis and apoptosis, in canine prostate carcinoma cell lines (PC1 and PC2), providing a promising opportunity for further studies of the in vitro and in vivo mechanisms of action of these compounds, using dogs as a natural model for prostate carcinoma clinical trials.
For the full text of the study, click here.
