Study: Cannabidiol Suppresses Tumor Growth in Colon Cancer by Targeting Metabolic Pathways

In the study, published in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine and conducted by researchers at The Affiliated Central Hospital of Shenyang Medical College and The First Hospital of China Medical University, scientists explored how CBD affects cancer cell metabolism through integrative multi-omics and laboratory testing. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis revealed that CBD reduced tumor cell proportions and suppressed glycolytic activity—a key feature of the “Warburg effect,” where cancer cells rely heavily on glucose for energy. The research identified PTGS2 as a central target and confirmed its overexpression in COAD tissues, linking it to poor patient outcomes.

In cell experiments, CBD inhibited the proliferation, migration, and colony formation of colon cancer cells while decreasing the expression of HIF-1α, LDHA, and GLUT1—genes that drive tumor metabolism. Metabolic tests showed that CBD led to lower ATP production, reduced glucose uptake, and decreased lactate levels in a dose-dependent manner.

Further experiments demonstrated that activating HIF-1α with DMOG partially reversed CBD’s effects, confirming that its anticancer activity is tied to this pathway. When combined with the glycolysis inhibitor 2-DG, CBD further enhanced therapeutic efficacy.

The authors conclude that CBD functions as an inhibitor of the HIF-1α/LDHA metabolic axis, providing a promising approach to target metabolic vulnerabilities in colon adenocarcinoma.