In a new study from Augusta University, researchers found inhaled CBD shrinks the size of the highly aggressive, lethal brain tumor glioblastoma in an animal model by reducing the essential support of its microenvironment.
They saw a significant reduction in the size of the tumor and its microenvironment was different.
The inhaler approach not only helped ensure the compound found in cannabis reached the brain, but that the method of delivery could, much like asthma inhalers, eventually be easily used by patients.
Using modified glioblastoma cells from humans, the team created a brain tumor model.
By day eight the aggressive tumor was established in the brain of the mice, and at day 9 they started giving daily doses of inhaled CBD or a placebo that continued for seven days.
They then looked again at an image of the tumor and directly at the tumor tissue.
Today’s treatment of brain tumors includes surgery, followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Surgery does not offer a cure but it does offer an important first step in maximizing quality of life and prognosis.
There is a clear relationship between the amount of tumors that can be removed surgically and the length of survival.
In the study, they found that CBD appears adept at altering the tumor’s ecosystem, or supportive tumor microenvironment, including restoring levels of inflammation that target rather than protect the glioblastoma, which could make it a safe, effective and novel adjunct therapy for these patients.
The tumor microenvironment established by the cancer cells, includes things like immune cells as well as blood vessels and growth factors to enable more blood vessel growth, which is key to tumor growth and survival, enabling it to thrive where it starts and to spread.
CBD was able to improve the immune mix against the tumor including reducing the tumor’s coopting of glial cells—a brain cell type that normally protects neurons, including producing inflammation to fight invaders— into instead becoming a major component of the tumor, now called a glioblastoma associated macrophage, which helps support and protect it.
It also suppressed the protein P-selectin, which typically plays a role in important functions like injury repair, and one of the things it recruits to help is platelets.
CBD also improved the mix by increasing the expression of some good things, like CD103, a complex thought to help the immune system recognize cancer, and that is generally associated with a better cancer prognosis.
There is evidence suppressing immune checkpoints, which CBD does, drives levels of both up.
The team notes that the positive results from inhaled CBD occurred without being done in tandem with other therapies, like surgery.
They anticipate if CBD is eventually used for these patients, it will be a novel adjunct to these therapies.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about mental health drug that may harm your brain health, and findings of low-carb diet that may help reverse brain aging.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about common habits that can make your brain age fast, and results showing that COVID-related brain damage more likely in these people.
The study is published in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. One author of the study is Dr. Babak Baban.
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