Apoptosis is a natural process in the body where the cells are destroyed as part of a particular organism?s growth. As mentioned, cancer cells grow as an abnormal process in the body because they no longer acknowledge the body signals that encourage or destroy cell growth.
As these cells grow and divide, they become more uncontrollable. And since they no longer respond to apoptosis, they tend to expedite cell proliferation and ignore the other signals from ?normal cells.? That is why the endocannabinoid system is an extremely important system in the body because it also helps in modulating cell growth and death.
As cancer cells reproduce faster than the endocannabinoid system can handle, the cancer cells invade through the normal tissues and spread throughout the body. This process is called metastasis.
The endocannabinoid system has two primary receptors. One is the CB1 receptors which are mostly found in the brain, and the other one is the CB2 receptors which are primarily found in the immune system.
THC is the active compound in cannabis that binds to the CB1 receptors and is responsible for mood, behavior, and other cerebral functions. On the other hand, CBD latches onto the CB2 receptors and tells these receptors if there are ?invaders? that are detrimental to the body.
The apoptotic process by these receptors is achieved through the
de novo synthesis of ceramide and sphingolipid that promote cell destruction.
Once they bind together, the receptor activation can then help the endocannabinoid system in signaling an antitumorigenic warning. Which means, it impairs cancer development through inhibiting reproduction, metastasis, and tumor angiogenesis.