Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2023-74-3765
Effects of concomitant use of THC and irinotecan on tumour growth and biochemical markers in a syngeneic mouse model of colon cancer
Suzana Žunec
orcid.org/0000-0002-7710-8250
Irena Brčić Karačonji
; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Martin Čatalinac
; University of Zagreb Faculty of Science, Zagreb, Croatia
Andreja Jurič
orcid.org/0000-0002-9279-5159
; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Anja Katić
; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Goran Kozina
; University North, University Centre Varaždin, Varaždin, Croatia
Vedran Micek
; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Marijana Neuberg
; University North, University Centre Varaždin, Varaždin, Croatia
Ana Lucić Vrdoljak
; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Clinical treatment with the antineoplastic drug irinotecan (IRI) is often hindered by side effects that significantly reduce the quality of life of treated patients. Due to the growing public support for products with Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), even though relevant scientific literature does not provide clear evidence of their high antitumour potential, some cancer patients take unregistered preparations containing up to 80 % THC. This study was conducted on a syngeneic colorectal cancer mouse model to test the efficiency and safety of concomitant treatment with IRI and THC. Male BALB/c mice subcutaneously injected with CT26 cells were receiving 60 mg/kg of IRI intraperitoneally on day 1 and 5 of treatment and/or 7 mg/kg of THC by gavage a day for 7 days. Treatment responses were evaluated based on changes in body, brain, and liver weight, tumour growth, blood cholinesterase activity, and oxidative stress parameters. Irinotecan’s systemic toxicity was evidenced by weight loss and high oxidative stress. The important finding of this study is that combining THC with IRI diminishes IRI efficiency in inhibiting tumour growth. However, further studies, focused on more subtle molecular methods in tumour tissue and analytical analysis of IRI and THC distribution in tumour-bearing mice, are needed to prove our observations.
Keywords
antitumour activity; cannabinoid-based preparations; oxidative stress; systemic toxicity
Hrčak ID:
308237
URI
Publication date:
27.9.2023.
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