Cannabis Extract Shows Potential in Fighting Melanoma

Photo byPhoto by Esteban López on Unsplash

A cannabis extract known as PHEC-66 has demonstrated promising potential in combating melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer. Developed by MGC Pharmaceuticals in Australia, this extract halted the proliferation of isolated melanoma cell lines in laboratory settings. Follow-up research by scientists at RMIT University and Charles Darwin University confirmed these findings, indicating that PHEC-66 induces programmed cell death in melanoma cells, preventing them from dividing further.

While these results are encouraging, further investigation in living animal models is necessary to validate the efficacy of PHEC-66 in treating melanoma. Clinical trials with cannabis oil have not been conducted, and comprehensive research on cannabis compounds' cancer-fighting properties remains limited. Despite the historical use of cannabis in medicine, modern stigma has impeded scientific exploration until recently, with Australia legalizing cannabis for medicinal purposes in 2016.

Australian researchers have uncovered the potential of cannabis in combating various cancers, including leukaemia and non-melanoma skin cancer, through inducing programmed cell death and oxidative stress. PHEC-66 triggers apoptosis in melanoma cells by inducing DNA fragmentation, halting cell growth, and increasing intracellular reactive oxygen species levels.

However, before clinical trials on humans can be considered, further studies on animals are needed to determine optimal dosage and administration methods. Current research on cannabis compounds primarily occurs in laboratory settings, with preliminary findings indicating both inhibitory and stimulatory effects on cancer cell growth.

With hundreds of cannabinoid compounds in cannabis, researchers have only begun to explore their medicinal potential. While it is premature to conclude cannabis as a future cancer treatment, ongoing research, particularly for aggressive diseases like melanoma, warrants continued investigation into its therapeutic applications.