A Cure For Cancer

About a week ago I did a post How Cannabis Cures Cancer. I found a paper on the subject that provides more technical details.

The Journal of Clinical Investigation

Abstract: Autophagy can promote cell survival or cell death, but the molecular basis underlying its dual role in cancer remains obscure. Here we demonstrate that Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active component of marijuana, induces human glioma cell death through stimulation of autophagy. Our data indicate that THC induced ceramide accumulation and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) phosphorylation and thereby activated an ER stress response that promoted autophagy via tribbles homolog 3–dependent (TRB3-dependent) inhibition of the Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) axis. We also showed that autophagy is upstream of apoptosis in cannabinoid-induced human and mouse cancer cell death and that activation of this pathway was necessary for the antitumor action of cannabinoids in vivo. These findings describe a mechanism by which THC can promote the autophagic death of human and mouse cancer cells and provide evidence that cannabinoid administration may be an effective therapeutic strategy for targeting human cancers.

You can also get a pdf of the paper at Cannabinoid action induces autophagy-mediated cell death through stimulation of ER stress in human glioma cells – pdf.

This was published in May of 2009. Over 4 years ago. You have to wonder why the popular press never touted it? Well it would have upset a LOT of apple carts.