Cannabinoids in Medicine: Cancer, Immunity, and Microbial Diseases
1
Department of Genome Engineering, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 60-032 Poznan, Poland
2
Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 60-632 Poznan, Poland
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(1), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22010263
Received: 18 November 2020
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Revised: 16 December 2020
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Accepted: 25 December 2020
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Published: 29 December 2020
(This article belongs to the Section Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics)
Recently, there has been a growing interest in the medical applications of Cannabis plants. They owe their unique properties to a group of secondary metabolites known as phytocannabinoids, which are specific for this genus. Phytocannabinoids, and cannabinoids generally, can interact with cannabinoid receptors being part of the endocannabinoid system present in animals. Over the years a growing body of scientific evidence has been gathered, suggesting that these compounds have therapeutic potential. In this article, we review the classification of cannabinoids, the molecular mechanisms of their interaction with animal cells as well as their potential application in the treatment of human diseases. Specifically, we focus on the research concerning the anticancer potential of cannabinoids in preclinical studies, their possible use in cancer treatment and palliative medicine, as well as their influence on the immune system. We also discuss their potential as therapeutic agents in infectious, autoimmune, and gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases. We postulate that the currently ongoing and future clinical trials should be accompanied by research focused on the cellular and molecular response to cannabinoids and Cannabis extracts, which will ultimately allow us to fully understand the mechanism, potency, and safety profile of cannabinoids as single agents and as complementary drugs.
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Keywords:
cannabinoids; cannabinoid receptors; cancer medicine; immune medicine
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MDPI and ACS Style
Śledziński, P.; Nowak-Terpiłowska, A.; Zeyland, J. Cannabinoids in Medicine: Cancer, Immunity, and Microbial Diseases. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22, 263. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22010263
AMA Style
Śledziński P, Nowak-Terpiłowska A, Zeyland J. Cannabinoids in Medicine: Cancer, Immunity, and Microbial Diseases. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2021; 22(1):263. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22010263
Chicago/Turabian StyleŚledziński, Paweł, Agnieszka Nowak-Terpiłowska, and Joanna Zeyland. 2021. "Cannabinoids in Medicine: Cancer, Immunity, and Microbial Diseases" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22, no. 1: 263. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22010263
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