Enhancement of Conventional and Photodynamic Therapy for Treatment of Cervical Cancer with Cannabidiol

Cannabidiol Combination Enhances Photodynamic Therapy Effects on MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

Cannabis sativa is a well-known plant for its psychoactive effects; however, its many derivatives, such as Cannabidiol (CBD), contain several therapeutic applications. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main cannabis derivative responsible for psychoactive properties, while CBD is non-psychotropic. For this reason, CBD has been more exploited in the last decade. CBD has been connected to multiple anticancer properties, and when combined with photodynamic therapy (PDT), it is possible to eradicate tumors more effectively. In this study, CBD was utilized to treat MCF-7 breast cancer cells, followed by in vitro PDT combination therapy. Conventional breast cancer treatment modalities such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, etc. have been reported for inducing a number of undesirable side effects, recurrence of the disease, and low quality of life. In this study, cells were exposed to varying concentrations of CBD (i.e., 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 μg/mL) and incubated 12 and 24 h after treatment. The optimal doses were then used in combination therapy. Morphology and biochemical assays, including lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) for membrane integrity, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for viability, and trypan blue exclusion assay for viability, were used to examine cellular responses after treatments. The optimal concentration was then utilized in Hypericin-Gold nanoparticles mediated PDT combination. The results revealed that, in a dose-dependent manner, conventional morphological characteristics of cell death, such as vacuolization, blebbing, and floating were observed in treated cells. The biochemical responses demonstrated an increase in LDH, a decrease in ATP, and a reduction in viability. This study demonstrated that CBD induces cell death in MCF-7 breast cancer cells cultured in vitro. The immunofluorescence results of combination therapy indicated that cell death occurred via apoptosis. In conclusion, this study proposes that the CBD and PDT combination therapy is effective in killing MCF-7 breast cancer cells in vitro by induction of apoptosis.

Exploring the Potential of Cannabinoid Nanodelivery Systems for CNS Disorders

Cannabinoids have a major therapeutic value in a variety of disorders. The concepts of cannabinoids are difficult to develop, but they can be used and are advantageous for a number of diseases that are not sufficiently managed by existing treatments. Nanoconjugation and encapsulation techniques have been shown to be effective in improving the delivery and the therapeutic effectiveness of drugs that are poorly soluble in water. Because the bioavailability of cannabinoids is low, the challenge is to explore different administration methods to improve their effectiveness. Because cannabinoids cross the blood-brain-barrier (BBB), they modify the negative effects of inflammatory processes on the BBB and may be a key factor in the improvement of BBB function after ischemic disease or other conditions. This review discusses various types of cannabinoid administration, as well as nanotechnologies used to improve the bioavailability of these compounds in CNS diseases.

Cannabidiol and Its Combinations with Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Induce Apoptosis and Inhibit Activation of NF-κB Signaling in Vulvar Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC) is a rare malignancy with a relatively good prognosis. However, the prognosis remains poor for elderly patients and those with a significant depth of tumor invasion; thus, novel treatment modalities are needed. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of cannabidiol (CBD) and its combination with NSAIDs, diclofenac (DIC) and ibuprofen (IBU) on VSCC cells. In this regard, the MTT test was applied for cytotoxicity analysis. Moreover, the influence of CBD, DIC and IBU, as well as their combinations, on apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were analyzed by flow cytometry. The mechanisms of action of the analyzed compounds, including their impact on NF-κB signaling, p53 and COX-2 expression were evaluated using Western blot. This study shows that CBD and its combinations with NSAIDs are cytotoxic to A431 cells, but they also reduce, in a dose-dependent manner, the viability of immortalized keratinocyte HaCaT cells, and human umbilical vein cell line, EA.hy926. Moreover, the compounds and their combinations induced apoptosis, diminished the NF-κB signaling activation and reduced COX-2 expression. We conclude that CBD and its combination with DIC or IBU are promising candidates for the adjuvant treatment of high-risk VSCC patients. However, their impact on non-cancerous cells requires careful evaluation.

Improved Therapeutic Efficacy of CBD with Good Tolerance in the Treatment of Breast Cancer through Nanoencapsulation and in Combination with 20(S)-Protopanaxadiol (PPD)

Cannabidiol (CBD), a nonpsychoactive major component derived from Cannabis sativa, widely used in neurodegenerative diseases, has now been proven to have growth inhibitory effects on many tumor cell lines, including breast tumors. Meanwhile CBD can effectively alleviate cancer-associated pain, anxiety, and depression, especially tumor cachexia, thus it is very promising as an anti-tumor drug with unique advantages. 20(S)-Protopanaxadiol (PPD) derived from the best-known tonic Chinese herbal medicine Ginseng was designed to be co-loaded with CBD into liposomes to examine their synergistic tumor-inhibitory effect. The CBD-PPD co-loading liposomes (CP-liposomes) presented a mean particle size of 138.8 nm. Further glycosyl-modified CP-liposomes (GMCP-liposomes) were prepared by the incorporation of n-Dodecyl β-D-maltoside (Mal) into the liposomal bilayer with glucose residue anchored on the surface to act as a ligand targeting the GLUT1 receptor highly expressed on tumor cells. In vivo studies on murine breast tumor (4T1 cells)-bearing BALB/c mice demonstrated good dose dependent anti-tumor efficacy of CP-liposomes. A high tumor inhibition rate (TIR) of 82.2% was achieved with good tolerance. However, glycosylation modification failed to significantly enhance TIR of CP-liposomes. In summary, combined therapy with PPD proved to be a promising strategy for CBD to be developed into a novel antitumor drug, with characteristics of effectiveness, good tolerance, and the potential to overcome tumor cachexia.