| Abstract |
Isolated cannabinoids, catechins and theaflavins exhibit cytotoxicity toward many cancer cells, including those derived from ovarian cancer. However, other phytochemicals in whole plant extracts may potentially modulate each other’s effects via the “entourage effect” as has been observed with Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) versus whole plant extracts (Biochem Pharmacol 157:285-293, 2018). Therefore, we investigated if these extracts inhibit the proliferation and migration of ovarian cancer cells. All experiments were performed in serum-free DMEM:F12 medium in the presence or absence of broad and full spectrum hemp extracts and a standardized black tea extract. For cell survival studies, the extracts were tested on subconfluent cells. Cell migration assays were performed on confluent cells. The activity of matrix metalloprotease-2 (MMP-2) was assayed by zymography on gelatin gels. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc test. The results of our studies suggest that both full spectrum hemp extract, which contains multiple cannabinoids and terpenes, and the black tea extract with theaflavins are cytotoxic to SKOV3 ovarian cancer. Broad spectrum hemp extracts did not exhibit any antiproliferative activity, while the full spectrum and black tea extracts inhibited the proliferation of the cells. The cells rounded up, swelled, and detached from the substratum in the presence of the hemp extract alone, but remained attached and swollen when treated simultaneously with both extracts. The migration of cells was inhibited primarily by the black tea extract. The activity of MMP-2, a gelatinase associated with tumor cell migration and metastasis, was also markedly inhibited by the black tea extract.
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| Modified Abstract |
Isolated cannabinoids, catechins and theaflavins exhibit cytotoxicity toward many cancer cells, including those derived from ovarian cancer. We investigated if these extracts inhibit the proliferation and migration of SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells. Experiments were performed with broad or full spectrum extracts and a theaflavin standardized black tea extract. The results of our studies suggest that both full spectrum hemp extract and the black tea’s theaflavin extract are cytotoxic to the SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells. Broad spectrum hemp extracts did not exhibit any antiproliferative activity, while the full spectrum and the black tea extracts inhibited the proliferation of the cells. The migration of cells was inhibited by the black tea extract, which was associated with a decrease in MMP-2, an enzyme involved in metastasis.
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