A postdoc by day and a scientific activist by night, Nick Anthis isn't letting his research in protein structure and function get in the way of defending scientific and social progress.
Through the results of widespread experimentation of the... well... let's say "non-scientific" variety, it's pretty well known that marijuana has the side effect of making the user very hungry. This is one of the many physiological effects of the active ingredient THC (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol). More relevantly, however, THC and other cannabinoids are actively being investigated for various useful clinical purposes, including the treatment of cancer through the inhibition of tumor growth.
A new study by Salazar et al. in The Journal of Clinical Investigation demonstrates that THC causes tumor cells to begin to degrade themselves from the inside (a process called autophagy, i.e. "self-eating"). Although autophagy has been shown to promote cell survival in some cases and cell death in others, the authors show that in this case it causes cancer cells to undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis). Thus, THC activates a series of events within cancer cells, inhibiting tumor growth.
Despite the imagery that the title of this post (and maybe even casual experience) may imply, it's not that THC causes cancer cells to ravenously and indiscriminately destroy themselves. Rather, by binding to certain cell-surface receptors, THC activates a cell signaling pathway that leads to cell death. This is a very orderly process, with autophagy just contributing one important step. The authors of this paper work out many of the molecular players in this process, using siRNA and cells derived from knockout mice, although I'll leave it to the interested reader to further explore that aspect by reading the paper if so inclined.
Mostly, this is interesting (to me) more for the big picture aspect and the implications for clinical medicine. And, of course, for the post title it inspired.
Hat tip to Mo of Neurophilosophy.
Salazar, M., Carracedo, A., Salanueva, I., Hernández-Tiedra, S., Lorente, M., Egia, A., Vázquez, P., Blázquez, C., Torres, S., García, S., Nowak, J., Fimia, G., Piacentini, M., Cecconi, F., Pandolfi, P., González-Feria, L., Iovanna, J., Guzmán, M., Boya, P., & Velasco, G. (2009). Cannabinoid action induces autophagy-mediated cell death through stimulation of ER stress in human glioma cells Journal of Clinical Investigation link
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Comments
So, does this mean that the smoke from the bong leads to your getting cancer and the THC leads to the cure? I'm kinda liking how that sounds.
Posted by: fatherdaddy | April 4, 2009 12:35 AM
This research is going to make many people very happy.
Posted by: Fair Trade | April 6, 2009 7:46 AM
I am a 60 year old white male with a spot on my left lung about 1 1/2 dia.I smoked pot and CIGs for 35 yrs.
Also been on Methadone for 35 yrsw.25 yrs stright.I go for biopsy Wed 8:30am
My question is or do really strong pop help with the chemo.I could be a good subject to study
Posted by: Bob in Az. | April 7, 2009 5:16 PM
Canadian Rick Simpson has claimed for a few years it is possible to cure cancer by treating patients with highly concentrated cannabis oil. All the evidence to prove his claims is, of course, anecdotal, and he was tried for possession of illegal drugs, but it is studies like these that make me wonder if he indeed stumbled upon a new (and better) treatment for cancer.
Posted by: Lagonda | April 8, 2009 8:29 AM
Its the real thing. 9 months ago I saw the Rick Simpson Video. A religious cannabis marijuana grower Joseph Barton donated a half pound of seedless marijuana flowers and I extracted the THC oil.
I then gave the oil to a man who has stage 4 lymthatic cancer with a large tumor on his neck. He is still alive with renewed energy and the tumor is shrinking.
Joseph Barton the man that donated the marijuana has since been raided by the police and is now challanging the Prohibition against cannabis marijuana hemp as a criminal war on the Constition of the United States and humanity.
See http://www.nycamp.org
We are staging a rally April 17 in Albany, New York on the State Capitol steps to abolish this evil prohibition by agents of the United States Treasury Department and local law enforcement.
Posted by: Daniel Eggink | April 11, 2009 11:04 AM
I know it is hard to believe, but cannabis in hemp oil form truly is the cure for cancer. I've seen it work with my own eyes, not on cancer, but on an incurable skin infection. I've also regularly spoken with Rick for almost a year now, and this is truly legitimate. Hemp oil can cure nearly all types of cancer, if not all types, as well as terminal cancers.
It's not just cancer either. Hemp oil can cure essentially all major human diseases, including diabetes, MS, arthritis, cardiovascular disease (the #1 killer in America), autoimmune disorders, pain disorders, and more. Cannabis is far, far more powerful than anybody could have imagined, and when this knowledge becomes global, it will be a new era in man's history.
Posted by: Justin Kander | April 11, 2009 11:58 AM
Wow, each comment here is more outrageous than the last. I thought that "cannabis as the cure for cancer" would be difficult to beat, but "hemp oil as a general panacea for every medical condition known to man" certainly wins. Surely there's no way anyone could beat that one.
Anyway, you people scare me a little bit, and I hope that nobody reading this comment thread decides that any of you are a reliable source of medical advice.
Posted by: Nick Anthis | April 11, 2009 12:05 PM
You got to Believe, it, If you stay in Denial Its not healthy, you'll end up having to take the Cannabis cure, whats say we get these Human,s Straight, and Rickie Doesn't even talk about taking it in high enough Doses to get Stoned as fack on the regular, just eliminating the threats within you. Your Gonna have to Experience, the only way you'll Truly know, If you are too scared to Conquer, You should not speak on what you cannot do. Life is here, And Cannabis increases it all, Got to allow it to be legally And by law Organic, With proper Care, then no one would get any sick from smokin them bad ass Chemicals.
Posted by: Prooof. | April 12, 2009 9:35 PM
Has anyone here heard of Ronnie Smith?
Posted by: judy | April 14, 2009 11:52 AM
Pleased to see an article that in my mind reflects positives towards cannabis instead of negatives.
Prohibition lies of cannabis have been effective in squashing the truth in the minds of the public. But through NORML, MPP, LEAP and other organizations the battle is slowly being won.
I am one who cannot take pharmaceuticals, 98% of them make me ill. Given the opportunity to smoke cannabis for three days in a row quite awhile back the inflammation and digestive tract problems I was having began to improve.
Bob in Az.: Have never had chemo and I'm not promoting this product however, SYNERGY 16 fl. oz. bottle is in most health food stores. G.T. Dave began bottling Kombucha (SYNERGY) in 1995 after his mother's success from drinking it during her battle with breast cancer. She told him it helped her with her chemo treatment. Google GTSkombucha.
I'm sort of a health nut and do drink it several times a week for my digestive problems or to help cure a hangover if I've over done it the night before.
Posted by: Lea | May 3, 2009 4:26 PM
I am 66 and have been battling NSC lung cancer for the last year with poor results.
I just received my last brain scan that shows several small tumors. So now I seem to have lung cancer on the brain. The doctors have scheduled radiation therapy, admitting that it is the best shot they have, are not giving me much reason to hope. I stumbled upon this blog searching for any reason to bother. I passed this on to my naturopath and as my home state is a non user she cannot comment, she did however give me a silent nod in the parking lot to go for it. OK so now what? With help from friends and family, although the details need to be worked out, a supply could be managed.
The rest I need help with. How to use it and most important of all, how much? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
danD
Posted by: danD | May 14, 2009 5:03 AM
I do not doubt that there could be definite benefits to medical marijuana relative to cancer. What I find regrettable is that it is seen by many as a possible 'cure for cancer' when in truth the cure for this most devastating disease has to be with a change in our diet and lifestyle, and not with some active ingredient in marijuana plant (or in any drug for that matter). In other words, our principal conversation should center around the issue of just how we nourish our bodies -- that is,the foods we eat (or don't eat), and other lifestyle factors like stress, exposure to sunshine,clean healthy water, our need for deep breathing,and the like. In other words, our focus should be on nourising our body so that we create within it a healthy environment -- a healing environment that does not allow the underlying cancer PROCESS to thrive.
Posted by: Mauris Emeka | May 16, 2009 11:07 AM
danD: Vaporizer would be the best, they're expensive though. Google cannabis or marijuana vaporizer. If you're unable to afford the vaporizer just smoke it in a full pipe or as a joint, medium amount, let's say 1 to 3/4 a tablespoon per pipe or joint.
In homeopathic medicine there is a thing called saturation
for the first four days to two weeks in order to get a jump on the cure. That would mean smoking six to seven times a day during the saturation time and then tapering off to three to four times a day.
Smoking cannabis will definitely help with the effects of radiation therapy.
Posted by: Lea | May 17, 2009 7:27 PM
Scientific evidence has shown direct injection of endocannabiniods (natural chemicals in neuron signaling. your body makes its own THC like molecules) into tumors in mice causes total regression of the tumor. Also, in cell culture, cells are protected from alzheimer's pathology when treated with cannabiniods.
There is a lot more of this kind of research but hard to get at and understand. Hopefully the trend toward releasing all of this information to the general public will continue in the scientific community.
Posted by: Julie | May 21, 2009 8:37 PM
Yes Julie, the research is hard to get and understand but there are good organizations that are covering it.
One such report just published online by the journal Pharmacological Research. The article, by two researchers from the University of Naples, covers the potential benefits of cannabinoids in illnesses involving intestinal inflammation (e.g. Crohn’s disease) and in colorectal cancer.
The authors explain that "cannabinoids exert important physiological and pathophysiological actions in the digestive tract, including appetite regulation, emesis, protection of the gastric mucosa, intestinal ion transport, gastric emptying and intestinal motility." They then go into a detailed and highly technical explanation of how the body’s CB1 and CB2 receptors — the route through which marijuana and the body’s own marijuana-like chemicals act — are involved in controlling the excessive inflammation that is the hallmark of Crohn’s and other forms of inflammatory bowel disease and how enhancing those actions can help.
The researchers then go into a similarly detailed discussion of the cellular mechanisms by which cannabinoids — including natural plant cannabinoids like THC and CBD — fight colorectal cancer, opening the discussion with this: "Cannabinoids exert antiproliferative, antimetastatic and apoptotic actions in colorectal carcinoma epithelial cells as well as antitumoural effects in experimental models of colon cancer."
Posted by: Lea | May 23, 2009 10:32 PM
we are being controled by a buntch of tossers telling us weed is bad!thay know thc cures cancer but thay cant pattent a plant which means no proffit,thay like to dish out there own so call remody's which have nasty side affects that attacks the amune system. wake up people and smell the coffe! fuck n.w.o aka new world order! corrupt inbread skum...there plans are to reduce the population by 90% kill us off...
Posted by: free the weed | June 12, 2009 9:44 PM
Dan D, I'm sorry to hear about your condition and I'm glad that you are willing to look at all your options. I'm going to tell you the only method I know to make THC truly effective in fighting your cancer. THC is the anti cancer, but you need a ton of it and smoking should not be an option with lung cancer. Vaporizing is better but it's still not enough. I have a friend that treats cancer patients and is running out of them because they don't have it anymore. This is all he is doing:
He extracts all of the THC from the best medical strain available and puts it into one syringe. Then gives it to the patient. You could use a slow drip with saline and i.v. as well.
You would think that you would get sky high, but you don't. It's the same principle as some people smoking themselves sober. Your brain will only accept so much cannabinoid activity before it simply will not allow those receptors to recognize them for a while. It really works. Also, the only thing that is ever harmful about people trying to get THC is smoking pot for it. Smoking anything will send unwanted toxins throughout a persons body. Pure THC has only a couple known side effects: getting you high at low doses, increasing appetite, boosting your immune system, and KILLING CANCER CELLS. I urge you not to wait on this method to become public. Good luck and God Bless.
Posted by: JT | July 4, 2009 7:44 PM
Sorry Dan, I forgot to specify that the shot all of the THC from ONE POUND of the best quality medicinal.
Posted by: JT | July 4, 2009 7:47 PM
JT has the right idea. It's pure hash oil or all the thc from about a lb of indica medicinal mj. Don't inject it though. Just take it as quickly as you can. It could take up to a month.
Posted by: Steph | July 5, 2009 1:46 PM
Wow, we're getting pretty specific for something that is totally based on speculation and not on any real clinical evidence. I hope nobody here is taking the "medical advice" being so freely dished out here seriously.
Posted by: Nick Anthis | July 5, 2009 1:57 PM
JT, You seem well informed about THC and what it can do for cancer. We are doing the treatment right now on my husband who has been told there is nothing more they can do.
It started with melanoma 5 yrs ago. It has now gone into the bone, and multiple spots on his lungs. They did radiation on his hip (tumor) bone..then they wanted to do chemo on his lungs with only 10% chance of it doing anything at all. We had been researching the THC information and decided the odds seem to be much better going this route. We have spoke to a few people that were told they had little or no time left and survived by using the THC method...After reading your blog...thank you... You mentioned your friend has helped alot people through their journey...I am always looking for someone else to talk with, perhaps who has a similiar cancer story. We have to move fast on this, and I need all the help I can get... I would love to contact this person..
Posted by: sheri | July 18, 2009 10:13 PM
Hi all,
Those looking for more information on hemp-oil, please check out Rick Simpson's site. It's got everything you need to learn about making your own hemp-oil, and how to use is to treat cancer.
Good luck!
http://www.phoenixtears.ca/
Posted by: Phoenix Tears | July 21, 2009 1:44 PM
My father has melanoma I wanted to see if any one else with melanoma has try out the hemp oil and what was the out come of it
Posted by: David | August 30, 2009 3:55 PM
A friend of the family was just told that his throat cancer is back for the third time; only now it has moved to his salivary glands. He was told that his body could not take any more chemo or radiation and surgery is not possible. I need to know the most effective way of taking the oil (smoking it would probly be out of the question), how much we need etc. Any help or advice would be appreciated. B.Y
Posted by: Britta | September 18, 2009 11:13 PM
I tested the theory that THC kills cancer on hampsters with skin cancer and it had 100% sucesss rate
Posted by: Jon | October 30, 2009 12:54 AM
If you look on you tube there are a number of instructional video's on how to make THC oil but the tests I conducted were with the bud (flowering part of plant) introduced directly into their food
Posted by: Jon | October 30, 2009 12:59 AM
i just came from rick simpsons house. he is the real deal and appears to want to help people and does not expect money. wow thats refreshing. he does not live in a million dollar home.not what you would expect if he were making money from this deal.i believe this man to be honest and i hope people will listen. your truly dave stevens
Posted by: dave stevens | November 4, 2009 7:54 AM
lmao @ this thread!
No, seriously though... I got a buddy who's friendS with Rick Simpson and that dude is CRAZY cool! He's got this giant plywood hut in the back of his house that's shaped like a friggin' bong, man. I guess they just go in there and there's pillows and shit and they just smoke weed and chill. He said last weekend a bunch of them climbed up on the roof and started pissing off the edge and Rick was all, "Dude, you guys are pissing off my bong!" Oh man I guess it was freakin' HILARIOUS!!!!
Yeah I don't know if any of them had cancer though. That'd kinda suck.
Posted by: Eli | November 14, 2009 1:53 AM
One should not smoke paper with cannabis.... A pipe using water filtration methods (bong or bubbler) or even better vaporization techniques, are the best ways to administer THC and other canabanoids such as CBN CBD etc.. For people suffering from cancer, ***you must look into THC oil extraction using organic 99% alcohol. This has a higher concentration of thc than most novelties (hash, iso hash). THC IS THE CURE!!!! People have added years to their life and ended death senences given by the doctor. DO NOT TAKE CHEMO/RADIATION!!! THESE WILL KILL YOU FASTER AND DOCTORS KNOW THAT!!!!!! It is a sick world.
Posted by: Cannabisthecure | November 20, 2009 11:46 PM
......and other cells too!
Posted by: scott | December 1, 2009 11:08 AM
Well yes and now Rick Simpson's house has been raided, while he is in Europe. There is something wrong with this world and with these Governments, people !!!! How long should we carry on taking this?
Posted by: Marita | December 17, 2009 11:07 PM
I have an uncle diagnosed with a terminal lung cancer. The doctors has told him that nothing else can be done so my uncle went to see rick simpson (we live in NB and he's from NS). So he gave them 10 seringes with hemp oil in it. He has to ingest all of that as soon as possible. At the start, it's really tough on the system. (he started with doses the size of a small grain of rice three times a day)...now he's triple the doses (three grains of rice..three times a day)...he's consuming it at a rate of one seringes a month and the goal is to get to one seringes a week. Anyway...he's feeling better but it's too early to tell. He has nothing to lose and a life to save.
Posted by: Marc | January 14, 2010 1:04 PM
SHERRI, BRITTA, MARC.... please let us all know of progress and the outcome.
Is there any way I could get to speak by telephone(or write by email)to anybody involved in currently using hemp oil?
Posted by: Paul | January 23, 2010 9:28 AM
It seems to be true , Rick Simpson has stummled on to something GREAT,
Lets not ignore the facts , people are being saved ..
Posted by: craig lambadarios | January 28, 2010 6:59 PM
if want to know how to make hemp oil go to phoenix tears .com it will tell how .you need the oil from a lb of the good stuff and the oil you get, should be ingested over 90 days good luck
Posted by: dave | February 1, 2010 9:43 PM
Scientific evidence has shown direct injection of endocannabiniods (natural chemicals in neuron signaling. your body makes its own THC like molecules) into tumors in mice causes total regression of the tumor. Also, in cell culture, cells are protected from alzheimer's pathology when treated with cannabiniods.
Posted by: Печать визиток срочно | February 4, 2010 1:43 AM