Scientists Find Cannabis Compound Stops Metastasis In Aggressive Cancers

[Truth Seeker]

A pair of scientists at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco has found that a compound derived from marijuana could stop metastasis in many kinds of aggressive cancer, potentially altering the fatality of the disease forever.

"It took us about 20 years of research to figure this out, but we are very excited," said Pierre Desprez, one of the scientists behind the discovery, to The Huffington Post. "We want to get started with trials as soon as possible."

The Daily Beast first reported on the finding, which has already undergone both laboratory and animal testing, and is awaiting permission for clinical trials in humans.

Desprez, a molecular biologist, spent decades studying ID-1, the gene that causes cancer to spread. Meanwhile, fellow researcher Sean McAllister was studying the effects of Cannabidiol, or CBD, a non-toxic, non-psychoactive chemical compound found in the cannabis plant. Finally, the pair collaborated, combining CBD and cells containing high levels of ID-1 in a petri dish.

"What we found was that his Cannabidiol could essentially 'turn off' the ID-1," Desprez told HuffPost. The cells stopped spreading and returned to normal.

"We likely would not have found this on our own," he added. "That's why collaboration is so essential to scientific discovery."

Desprez and McAllister first published a paper about the finding in 2007. Since then, their team has found that CBD works both in the lab and in animals. And now, they've found even more good news.

"We started by researching breast cancer," said Desprez. "But now we've found that Cannabidiol works with many kinds of aggressive cancers--brain, prostate--any kind in which these high levels of ID-1 are present."

Desprez hopes that clinical trials will begin immediately.

"We've found no toxicity in the animals we've tested, and Cannabidiol is already used in humans for a variety of other ailments," he said. Indeed, the compound is used to relieve anxiety and nausea, and, since it is non-psychoactive, does not cause the "high" associated with THC.

While marijuana advocates will surely praise the discovery, Desprez explained that it's not so easy as just lighting up.

"We used injections in the animal testing and are also testing pills," he said. "But you could never get enough Cannabidiol for it to be effective just from smoking."

Furthermore, the team has started synthesizing the compound in the lab instead of using the plant in an effort to make it more potent.

"It's a common practice," explained Desprez. "But hopefully it will also keep us clear of any obstacles while seeking approval."

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Source: huffingtonpost.com
Author: Robin Wilkey
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Website: Marijuana And Cancer: Scientists Find Cannabis Compound Stops Metastasis In Aggressive Cancers

 

[Propa Gator]

No toxicity nor side effects. Simpson oil from high CBD strains likely has done it already, but big buck business makes no profit on healthy, informed people. They and their employee politicians are expert manipulators of public opinion/attitudes. Other tools in their arsenal in the war of prohibition are blunt force jailing of medical patients for shocking effective propaganda value.

I will acquire such medical strains and produce my own. I really don't want cancer, even to cure it.

 

[whiteraven86]

If you wait and harvest late, after the majority of trichromes turn amber. The THC degrades into CBD. I grow medical cannabis and regularly harvest late to increase the CBD content. It is after all the CBDs that are most effective in most medical cannabis symptom relief.

I have done efficacy surveys with the same cannabis strain, harvested at different stages of trichrome maturity and found that higher percentages of amber trichomes versus clear or frosty white trichromes increases efficacy for chronic pain, muscle spasms and as a sleep aid. The problem is that some discount the effectiveness because the "high" usually associated with good cannabis is decreased.

 

[Propa Gator]

I'm very impatient, but will try that until I get med-specific kind. Thanks, whiteraven

 

[Aardvark]

If you wait and harvest late, after the majority of trichromes turn amber. The THC degrades into CBD. I grow medical cannabis and regularly harvest late to increase the CBD content. It is after all the CBDs that are most effective in most medical cannabis symptom relief.

I have done efficacy surveys with the same cannabis strain, harvested at different stages of trichrome maturity and found that higher percentages of amber trichomes versus clear or frosty white trichromes increases efficacy for chronic pain, muscle spasms and as a sleep aid. The problem is that some discount the effectiveness because the "high" usually associated with good cannabis is decreased.

I have an opposing opinion; I have found that earlier harvests produce less high and more productivity while the later harvest moves me into "couch lock". As far as the CBD content is concerned, I would love to see the data from your efficacy surveys, but determining the effects of CBD content from smoking is possible only with laboratory analysis, and the results need to use side-by-side comparisons - like harvesting part of the plant early and then the rest later on, then comparing both content and relief.

Please tell me you have that kind of data?

 

[whiteraven86]

"I have found that earlier harvests produce less high and more productivity while the later harvest moves me into "couch lock". " If you have to be "productive" then the higher THC and lower CBD is what you might want. The "couch lock" is the CBDs working as they should. Personally I only use meds just before bed to relieve symptoms of chronoc pain and muscle spasms so I can sleep throughout the night.

As to the stats, as my problem with my sampling is it is too small at present for a scientific conclusion and attempting to get people past the "high" so many people associate with good meds has been a problem. I would love to see my contention investigated on a large study. However it is a fact, established through lab testing, that as the trichomes turn amber they degrade from high THC to higher levels of CBDs.

In my case I harvested the same strain at different times according to the % of trochromes that had turned amber. The surveys were done with members of a small collective and at a hospice for the terminally ill where cannabis was used for various symptoms.

I believe SC labs has published a chart indicating which cannabinoids are best suited for which symptoms.