Study Finds Cannabinoids like CBD and THC May Influence Liver Cancer Pathways Through Ion Channels

A new scientific review published in the journal Pathophysiology examines how cannabinoids—both those produced naturally in the body and those derived from the marijuana plant—interact with ion channels and signaling pathways involved in liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of liver cancer. The review was conducted by researchers from multiple Mexican institutions, including the Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico City and the National Institute of Genomic Medicine. Together, the authors evaluated existing experimental evidence on the endocannabinoid system, phytocannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and their potential relevance to liver cancer prevention and therapy.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is described by the researchers as “the main type of liver cancer and one of the malignancies with the highest mortality rates worldwide.” They note that HCC is closely linked to chronic liver damage caused by alcohol use, viral hepatitis, fatty liver disease and cirrhosis, with many patients diagnosed only after the disease has reached an advanced stage. As the authors write, “early markers of HCC and novel therapeutic approaches are urgently needed.”

The review focuses on the endocannabinoid system, which plays a role in numerous biological functions, including immune regulation, inflammation, cell survival and programmed cell death. According to the paper, endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids can influence signaling pathways involved in “cell survival, proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, and immune response,” all of which are processes implicated in cancer development and progression.

While cannabinoid receptors such as CB1 and CB2 have been extensively studied, the authors emphasize that cannabinoids also interact with non-canonical targets, including several ion channels. These ion channels are involved in inflammation, abnormal cell growth and cell death in liver diseases, including hepatocellular carcinoma. The review highlights CBD in particular, noting its interaction with ion channels that may influence disease progression without producing intoxicating effects.

“In this literature review, we describe and discuss both the endocannabinoid system and exogenous phytocannabinoids, such as cannabidiol and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, along with their canonical receptors,” the authors state, while also examining “the cannabidiol-targeted ion channels and their role in liver cancer and its preceding liver diseases.”

The researchers conclude that the interaction between cannabidiol and ion channels represents “an extraordinary opportunity in liver cancer prevention and therapy.” They suggest that further investigation could have implications not only for clinical treatment, but also for broader public health, economic and sociocultural considerations affecting cancer patients.

While the paper does not present new clinical trial data, it adds to a growing body of literature exploring how cannabinoids may influence cancer-related biological pathways, particularly in diseases with limited treatment options and high mortality rates like hepatocellular carcinoma.