Omega-3 fatty acids are more commonly associated with reducing inflammation and protecting against cardiovascular disease by lowering blood pressure and triglyceride levels, improving the function of blood vessels, and decreasing the risk of cardiac arrhythmias. A recent study suggests they may also play a role in fighting cancer.
Studies indicate that inflammation is associated with the growth and progression of cancer. To combat inflammation, the human body naturally makes endocannabinoids, which combat inflammation and pain. Endocannabinoids are similar to the cannabinoids in marijuana, but they do not have the same psychotropic effects. Scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) previously determined that the body metabolizes dietary omega-3 fatty acids into endocannabinoid epoxides that have anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. They have recently learned more about how endocannabinoid epoxides combat cancer.
Their study involved administering endocannabinoids derived from omega-3 fatty acids to mice with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer that is painful and very difficult to treat. The researchers found that the endocannabinoids slowed the growth of cancer cells and inhibited their migration to other organs. These findings suggest that endocannabinoids fight cancer in several ways, including inhibiting the growth of new blood vessels to supply nutrients to tumors.
UIUC professor Timothy Fan, a coauthor of the study, said that therapies such as endocannabinoids that can potentially impede cell migration may be useful in slowing or preventing the metastasis of cancer cells; however, endocannabinoids are not as effective as chemotherapeutic agents. Still, the UIUC research team plans to conduct further studies to determine the effect of endocannabinoids on other types of cancer cells.
Source: IFT
