The movement towards legalizing the use of cannabis in Malaysia often says that this plant has various uses for treating depression, reducing the onset of chemotherapy patients and even those who believe it can treat cancer. The latest study from Charles Darwin University (CDU) and RMIT from Australia now says cannabis sativa extract can slow down the growth of melanoma cells (skin cancer) before causing the death of cancer cells.
The extract, named PHEC-66, was tested in the laboratory on human melanoma cells. It inhibits the division and growth of melanoma cancer cells which are necessary for it to grow. This in turn causes cancer cells to undergo apoptosis, which is the gradual death of cells.
Researchers now want to develop a technique to deliver PHEC-66 to melanoma cells in the human body before then starting clinical trials to see its effectiveness. At the same time researchers believe PHEC-66 has potential as an anti-cancer agent for the treatment of various other types of cancer.
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