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Will marijuana help in the fight against cancer?
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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There is evidence that cannabis was used as a medicine 5 thousand years ago in China.
This plant was also used for medicinal purposes in Asia, South America, the Middle East and southern Africa.
Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, evaluated the safety and tolerability of a synthetic cannabinoid called dexanabinol (ETS2101).
Injections of the drug are administered weekly, intravenously, to patients with all forms of brain cancer, both primary and metastatic.
"What we're doing at this stage of the study is looking at the safety of multiple doses of the drug, how much it penetrates the brain, and what it means for future research in this area," said lead author Santosh Kesari, MD, PhD, chief of neuro-oncology at Moores Cancer Center in San Diego. "We're trying to figure out the safest and most optimal amount of drug to treat a brain tumor."
Dexanabinol is a synthetic cannabinoid without psychotropic effects, which has potential neuroprotective properties - anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and excitotoxic action.
Recent research by scientists suggests that dexanabinol kills cancer cell cultures obtained from different types of tumors.
Additional studies conducted by a team of researchers led by Dr. Kesari demonstrated the positive effect of dexanabinol on brain cancer cell lines.
“Why don’t we just invent new drugs but also use the ones that are already known and available, exploring new possible ways to use them for different diagnoses?” asks Santosh Kesari.
“Over time, we will study the molecular phenotype of the tumor and the patient’s reactions, which will allow us to make the treatment method more specific and effective,” promises Kesari.
For patients who took part in the study, dexanabinol may be a last resort, as other treatments, including surgical removal, radiation and systemic therapy, have failed.
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