Researchers Discover How Marijuana Compound Reduces Tumor Growth In Cancer Patients

Scientists have long known that compounds derived from marijuana have some cancer fighting properties, but a recent discovery demonstrates how exactly one compound may fight tumors.

Published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, the research reveals two previously unknown "signaling platforms" in cells that allow THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis known for producing the "high" sensation, to shrink some cancerous tumors.

“THC, the major active component of marijuana, has anti-cancer properties," Dr. Peter McCormick, a researcher from University of East Anglia in England and co-author of the study, said in a statement. "This compound is known to act through a specific family of cell receptors called cannabinoid receptors. However, it was unclear which of these receptors were responsible for the anti-tumor effects of THC."

When the researchers applied THC to tumors induced in mice using human breast cancer cells, the interaction between two cannabinoid cell...

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/16/marijuana-tumors_n_5588639.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063