Glioblastoma is the most aggressive
cancer among primary brain tumours. As with other
cancers, the incidence of
glioblastoma is increasing; despite modern
therapies, the overall mean survival of patients post-diagnosis averages around 16 months, a figure that has not changed in many years.
Cannabigerol (
CBG) has only recently been reported to prevent the progression of certain
carcinomas and has not yet been studied in
glioblastoma. Here, we have compared the cytotoxic, apoptotic, and anti-invasive effects of the purified natural
cannabinoid CBG together with CBD and
THC on established differentiated
glioblastoma tumour cells and
glioblastoma stem cells.
CBG and
THC reduced the viability of both types of cells to a similar extent, whereas combining CBD with
CBG was more efficient than with
THC. CBD and
CBG, both alone and in combination, induced
caspase-dependent cell apoptosis, and there was no additive
THC effect. Of note,
CBG inhibited
glioblastoma invasion in a similar manner to CBD and the chemotherapeutic
temozolomide. We have demonstrated that
THC has little added value in combined-
cannabinoid glioblastoma treatment, suggesting that this psychotropic
cannabinoid should be replaced with
CBG in future clinical studies of
glioblastoma therapy.