Cannabinoids and Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review of Animal Studies

Abstract

Prostate cancer is a major cause of death among men worldwide. Recent preclinical evidence implicates cannabinoids as powerful regulators of cell growth and differentiation, as well as potential anti-cancer agents. The aim of this review was to evaluate the effect of cannabinoids on in vivo prostate cancer models. The databases searched included PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to August 2020. Articles reporting on the effect of cannabinoids on prostate cancer were deemed eligible. We identified six studies that were all found to be based on in vivo/xenograft animal models. Results: In PC3 and DU145 xenografts, WIN55,212-2 reduced cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, in LNCaP xenografts, WIN55,212-2 reduced cell proliferation by 66–69%. PM49, which is a synthetic cannabinoid quinone, was also found to result in a significant inhibition of tumor growth of up to 90% in xenograft models of LNCaP and 40% in xenograft models of PC3 cells, respectively. All studies have reported that the treatment of prostate cancers in in vivo/xenograft models with various cannabinoids decreased the size of the tumor, the outcomes of which depended on the dose and length of treatment. Within the limitation of these identified studies, cannabinoids were shown to reduce the size of prostate cancer tumors in animal models. However, further well-designed and controlled animal studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

Comparison of the Cannabinoid and Terpene Profiles in Commercial Cannabis from Natural and Artificial Cultivation

“…It has been shown that CBD has multiple pharmacological benefits in in vitro and animal studies, which makes it a very promising therapeutic commodity in inflammation, diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases [ 34 , 35 ]. It is demonstrated that CBG has a promising therapeutic potential in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease and prostate cancer [ 35 , 36 ]. An early study by Mahlberg and Hemphil showed the higher level of THC in cannabis leaves grown under sunlight than the plants grown under filtered green light and darkness while there was no significant difference in THC content in plants grown under filtered blue and red lights and shaded daylight compared to the sunlight grown plants [ 37 ].…”

Association between cannabis use with urological cancers: A population‐based cohort study and a mendelian randomization study in the UK biobank

“… 29 On the contrary, cannabinoid agonists induced apoptosis of PCa cells and reduced the size of tumors. 12 , 13 Additionally, several in vivo and in vitro studies revealed the crucial role of cannabinoid receptors in the anti‐proliferation of BCa cells. 27 , 30 …”

“…Several functional studies elaborated that cannabinoids appeared to inhibit cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis in urological cancer cells. 11 , 12 , 13 …”

The Pathophysiology and the Therapeutic Potential of Cannabinoids in Prostate Cancer

“…The lack of knowledge of how cannabis exerts its anticancer effects makes it even more complicated to find what is the best way these compounds can be used without these psychoactive effects. However, there is enough evidence in the literature stating the ability of cannabinoids to induce cell death by various pathways in prostate cancer, but there is still more research needed to be undertaken to understand their mechanism [104,105]. Although cannabinoids may well be able to help with management of prostate cancer, there is still an urgent need to identify the best and the most effective combination for these and other cancers.…”