Melanoma: this cannabis extract “kills” cancer cells

A cannabis extract called “PHEC-66” has anti-cancer effects that researchers have just described as “remarkable” In a new publication. LIn in vitro tests, the extract was found to not only slow the growth rate of melanoma cancer cells, but also cause their death.

Cannabis extract binds to cancer cells

Concretely, PHEC-66 binds to cancer cells, prevents them from multiplying and forces them to self-destruct. “Damage to the melanoma cell prevents it from dividing into new cells and instead triggers programmed cell death, also known as apoptosis,” specifies one of the authors of the study Nazim Nassar, also a professor of pharmacy.

His team readily admits that they don’t really know why the plant is effective. “However, this is an increasingly important area of ​​research, as it could allow us to refine cancer treatment techniques so that they are more precise, more responsive and more effective” believes Nazim Nassar.

Cancers and cannabis: where is the research?

“We simply don’t know yet whether cannabis or any of the chemicals it contains are helpful in treating cancer“, also warns Charlott Repschlaeger, cancer researcher. “There are very few studies in humans, those that do exist are often small and produce mixed results,” she adds.

“The next stage of this research involves animal studies and preclinical trials to validate and further explore the effectiveness of the cannabinoid PHEC-66 in the treatment of melanoma and other cancers,” concludes Nitin Mantri, professor of biotechnology at RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) and director of the study.

Cancers are the second leading cause of death worldwide

For almost a quarter of a century, cannabis and its derivatives have been increasingly recognized as potentially beneficial for people with cancer. For now, the benefits that this plant provides are essentially palliative in nature: they help reduce pain, reduce anxiety and restore appetite.

In France, the estimated number of new cases of cancer in 2023 is 433,136 (57% in men, 43% in women), and the number of deaths from cancer in 2018 is 157,400 (57% in men, 43% in women). % in women). These pathologies constitute the second cause of mortality in the world.

Today, the main strategies used in the treatment of cancers are surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapies, hormonal therapy and immunotherapy. “For certain blood cancers, a bone marrow transplant is sometimes necessary,” precise the Arc Foundation.