CBD: an effective agent against metastasis

I understand if you feel like this. It is the least appropriate moment for experimenting something that strays you away from what traditional medicine has been prescribing you. (This is, unless you live in a Country were Medical Cannabis is a reality).

I created Nature Going Smart with one intent: to provide scientific evidence for anyone to understand fully the mechanisms behind our choices.

I strongly believe that for most of us, understanding the process behind certain recommendations, could mean the difference between “reading some health-claims on the internet” and taking full responsibility for our health (and that of the Planet).

If you are still skeptical on this “Cannabis kills cancer” idea, or simply willing to deepen your understanding on how this safe medication works, this article is for you. (As well as this video: “Does Cannabis Oil treat cancer?”)

A metastatic cancer is the condition during which cancerous cells invade a tissue not directly linked to the initial site of tumorigenesis, thus forming a secondary tumor.
Despite all currently available treatments, once clinically apparent metastases develop, breast cancer is most often incurable.

Clearly, effective and non-toxic therapies are urgently required; a growing body of evidence is finding that the unique properties of Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychotropic component of the plant Cannabis Sativa, are very useful for inhibiting proliferation of metastatic breast cancer cells.

Understanding the genetic changes required for breast cancer to develop and invade other tissues with metastasis is still quite tricky. However, it has been found that expression of a gene called Id-1, initiates cell de-differentiation, uncontrolled proliferation and invasion which are the final and fatal steps during
cancer progression.

The Id family of helix-loop-helix proteins control cellular processes related to tumor progression such as cell growth and differentiation. In order to establish the association between Id-1 and metastasis, the Id-1 gene was over-expressed in breast cancer cells under laboratory conditions. This resulted in overactive Id proteins and statistically significant increase in metastasis of the lungs.

This net correlation between high levels of Id-1 proteins and number of metastasizing cancers prompted the research group at California Pacific Medical Center to investigate the effects of reducing Id-1.

They did so by reversing the strategy with a technique known as antisense technology, which is used to block expression of genes.

They found that down-regulation of Id-1 led to a significant reduction in breast cancer cell proliferation and invasiveness both in vitro, as well as reduction of development metastasis in vivo (in mice).
The research group then screened a large number of chemicals to find the most effective inhibitor of Id-1, and found that the cannabinoid CBD was by far the most effective as well as safest compound testedfor inhibiting human breast cancer cell proliferation and invasiveness.

This is an important discovery highlighting the mechanism by which the compound CBD produces anti-metastatic activity and fights breast cancer.

Currently, available therapeutic strategies for treating the metastatic stage of cancer progression are highly toxic, show poor efficacy and are nonspecific, meaning that molecular mechanisms regulatingthe development of aggressive cancers are left untargeted.

It has been shown in a variety of cancer studies that cannabinoids such as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) act as tumor inhibitors via activation of the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2. However, new evidence also shows that the cannabinoid constituent CBD, has negligible affinity for CB1 and CB2 receptors and yet it also possesses considerable antitumor effects.

This suggests that it is likely there are other mechanisms by which cannabinoids may be fighting tumor growth with.

Plant cannabinoids are stable compounds with low toxicity profiles that are well tolerated by animals and humans during chronic administration. The low affinity of CBD for the aforementioned classic cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, makes this compound not only safe but also devoid of the potentially problematic psychotropic effects found in THC.

Scientists from the Research Institute of San Francisco, who first elucidated this model back in 2007, believe that “reducing Id-1 expression with cannabinoids could also provide a therapeutic strategy forthe treatment of additional aggressive cancers because Id-1 expression was found to be upregulated during the progression of almost all types of solid tumors investigated”, confirming yet again the urgency of updating research-clinician relationship in regards of medical cannabis.

CBD oil preparations low in THC are a good way for patients to start medicating with cannabinoid therapy.

Amongst the commercially available CBD oils, the mean average contents are a mere 0.173% THC while providing levels of CBD measuring at > 3%, which ensures safe consumption free of significant psychoactive effects.
Oils with these kinds of high CBD cannabinoid ratios cannot be made from just common strains of cannabis, they need to be made from specifically CBD-rich strains.

For patients concerned with side effects from THC, CBD-rich strains will offer the most comfortable medication. Strains are considered CBD-rich when the CBD content level 4% or above.

Some currently available selected strains of CBD-rich range between 8 and 12% CBD content.
Popular CBD-rich strains include:

• Shark Shock (THC content of 6.33% and a CBD content of 7.28%)
• CBD Nordle (CBD content of 8.97 percent, THC 6.43 %)
• CBD Medi Haze (CBD 8 %, THC 4%)
• Harlequin (6% THC, 18% CBD)
• CBD Skunkhaze (1:1 ratio of THC:CBD, resulting in 5% THC and 5% CBD)

Due to growing conditions and other factors such as phenotype the percentages listed are estimated and will often times vary.
It should also be noted that if the THC percentage of oil or cannabis flowers being consumed is above 2% or equal to CBD content present, noticeable psychoactive effects may be felt.

Fortunately CBD also has anti-anxiety properties. High levels of it will help to reduce possible negative experiences from the effects of THC.

CBD may be ingested orally as well as vaporized.

If vaporization is used the vaporization temperature needs to be slightly higher than the temperatures used for vaporizing THC.

Edible forms of CBD may be the most effective way to consume CBD for fighting breast cancermetastasis.

If you are looking to start a CBD therapy, check out our Nature Going Shop. You can find organic, GMP-certified CBD products and much more.

Finally, if you need help with dosage, do not hesitate to contact us at info@naturegoingsmart.com

McAllister, S D et al. (2007). Cannabidiol as a novel inhibitor of Id-1 gene expression in aggressive breast cancer cells. Mol Cancer Ther. 6 (11), 2921–7.

Benezra R, Davis RL, Lockshon D, Turner DL, Weintraub H. The protein Id: a negative regulator of helix-loop-helix DNA binding proteins. Cell 1990;61:49 – 59

Fong S, Itahana Y, Sumida T, et al. Id-1 as a molecular target in therapy for breast cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2003;100:13543 – 8.

Ligresti A, Moriello AS, Starowicz K, et al. Antitumor activity of plant cannabinoids with emphasis onthe effect of cannabidiol on human breast carcinoma. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2006;318:1375 – 87.

Fong S, Debs RJ, Desprez PY. Id genes and proteins as promising targets in cancer therapy. Trends Mol Med 2004;10:387 – 92.