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Can Cannabinoids Kill Leukemic Cells?: CBD Oil For Leukemia

Cancer, whenever we read this term, our heart stops. Medical science has a cure for almost every disease, unfortunately, cancer is not incorporated in that list. You can find thousands of the article which is relevant to its treatment or cure. In this context, there are certain herbs that need consideration which can be quite helpful in treating leukaemia.

 CBD oil, also called Cannabidiol, is a naturally extracted oil which is usually originated from the plant Cannabis sativa. CBD oil is made from the entire plant extract although, the THC content in CBD oil is negligible or about 0.3%.

 Therefore, it does not make a person high or regulate their mind. In this article, we are going to discuss the disease leukaemia, its symptoms as well as cause in detail. Alongside, we will also elaborate, the role of CBD oil for Leukemia as well as a side effect.

 

Leukaemia: Description, Symptoms, Types, and Risk Factors

Leukaemia is a kind of cancer that affects the blood or the bone marrow of the body. In this type of cancer, the blood-forming tissue may not let fight the infection. Leukaemia occurs when a cell undergoes a  change and it becomes a leukemic cell. Once the cell becomes Leukemic, it keeps growing and spread throughout the body with time.

 

Symptoms of Leukaemia

Leukaemia is a deadly disease and can be both acute as well as chronic. The symptoms associated with it can occur both chronically and acutely. However, if a person is suffering from leukaemia, there are certain symptoms that may occur. Here are some of them listed below:

 

  • Extreme Fatigue
  • High Fever
  • Frequent infections
  • Swollen Lymph Nodes
  • Persistent nose bleeding
  • Red spots all over the body
  • Pain and Inflammation of bones
  • Enlarged liver or spleen
  • Rapid Weight loss
  • Sweating during night

 Hence, if you are suffering from any of the above symptoms, it is better to consult a health professional to rule out your ailment.

Risk Factors Of Leukaemia

Well, there are certain risk factors, that are associated with leukaemia. These factors can make a person more prone to leukaemia. Here are some of the risk factors listed below.

 

  • Any Past Cancer Treatment:

Patients who have undergone any surgery chemotherapy or radiotherapy are more inclined to develop certain types of leukaemia with time.

 

  • Heredity:

Genes play a significant risk factor in leukaemia. People who have a past history of down syndrome are more likely to develop leukaemia than others. Also, If anybody has a  family history of leukaemia, they may get attacked by it as well.

 

  • Smoking:

Also, another prominent risk factor for leukaemia is cigarette smoking. This is because cigarettes contain nicotine which is responsible for almost all kind of cancers.

 

  • Exposure to Harmful Chemicals:

Getting exposed to harmful chemicals like benzene, present in gasoline, is responsible for leukaemia as well. Thus, people who are in the gasoline industry can get influenced by certain kinds of leukaemia as well.

 

Types of Leukaemia

Leukaemia is a deadly disease and occurs due to various factors. Leukaemia can be of diverse types and can be classified into two divisions. Let’s discuss its types in detail.

First Classification

The first type of classification of leukaemia involves:

 

  • Acute Leukaemia:

 Acute leukaemia, as the name signifies, occurs acutely. It transpires quickly and is pretty aggressive in nature. Despite that, the cells of these type of cancer multiples within less time. Thus, acute leukaemia is more dangerous than chronic leukaemia.

 

 

  • Chronic Leukaemia:

 This type of leukaemia is chronic and spreads with time. It is not diagnosed early and the cell keeps multiplying with time without the person knowing it. It starts showing its symptom when cancer spreads to a supreme point.

 

Second Classification

In the second class, classification involves some leukaemia that affects both children as well as adults

 

  • Acute Lymphatic Leukaemia (ALL):

Acute lymphatic leukaemia is the most common type of leukaemia. It is pretty common in both children and adults and therefore it can transpire in all age groups.

  • Acute Myelogenous Leukaemia (AML):

Acute Myelogenous Leukemia is also a pretty common type of acute leukaemia which occurs in both children as well as adults. Nevertheless, it is more prevalent in adults.

 

  • Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia ( CLL):

This type of leukaemia is chronic and occurs without the person’s knowledge. Thus you can have chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and not know about it to the point where it seems relevant.

 

 

  • Chronic Myelogenous Leukaemia (CML):

This type of leukaemia is chronic and does not show any symptoms for months or years unless it enters a zone where the cell starts multiplying speedily.

 

  • Other Types Of Leukaemia:

Apart from the ones mentioned, there are other types of leukaemia which can affect both adults, as well as children. This may include conditions like hairy cell leukaemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, and myeloproliferative disorders.

 

CBD Oil for leukaemia

As we all know, Leukemia is a cancer of blood-forming organs as well as bone marrow. Certain researches show that some cannabinoids have the potency to kill leukemic cancer cells and when these chemicals were combined together, it had an even potent and efficient result.

 A study conducted by the International Journal Of Oncology shows that when the cannabinoids like THC and Cannabidiol were given individually with certain chemotherapic drugs, it killed the leukemic cells, while the combination of both THC and Cannabidiol with the chemotherapic drugs increased the effectiveness of the drug even more.

 It is important to note that these cannabinoids were provided to the patient after chemotherapy and not before it. Thus, chemotherapic treatment is important. Although, cannabinoids present in CBD increased the efficacy of the drug.

Drug to Drug Interactions

It is important to consult medical help before consuming CBD oil as it might react with certain drugs. Hence, if you are suffering from certain serious conditions, seek medical advice from a professional. However, it is advised not to consume CBD oil if you are on any of the drugs listed below.

 

  • Steroids
  • HMG CoA reductase inhibitors
  • Calcium channel blockers
  • Antihistamines
  • Prokinetics
  • HIV antivirals
  • Immune modulators
  • Benzodiazepines
  • Antiarrhythmics
  • Antibiotics
  • Anaesthetics
  • Antipsychotics
  • Antidepressants
  • Anti-epileptics
  • Beta-blockers
  • PPIs
  • NSAIDs
  • Angiotensin II blockers
  • Oral hypoglycemic agents
  • Sulfonylureas

Lactating mothers or pregnant mothers are recommended not to take CBD oil, as it might affect the baby as well as the mother’s health and complicate the entire process.

Also, people on blood thinners or should avoid its consumption as it may dilute the blood and cause excessive bleeding.

 Side Effects of CBD Oil

CBD oil has certain mild side effects that are quite common and does not interfere much with an individuals life. Here are some of the side effects listed below:

  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Appetite Changes
  • Mood Swings
  • Diarrhoea
  • Dizziness
  • Drowsiness
  • Dry mouth or Increase in thirst
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Digestive Problems

Thus, it is better to consult a doctor before consuming CBD oil as he will have more knowledge in this sector.  He will provide you with sufficient information regarding the proper usage as well as the dosage of CBD oil.

Conclusion

Leukaemia is a type of blood cancer that can occur in both children as well as an adult. Leukaemia

can be both acute as well as chronic. This means it can occur and spread immediately while chronic can spread with time without a person’s knowledge.

Well, leukaemia has no cure like other cancers and it can only be treated with chemotherapy and not cured. According to a study, it was seen that when CBD oil was combined with certain chemotherapic drugs, it killed leukemic cells. Although more researches and investigation is required to have knowledge regarding CBD Oil’s role in cancer, we can say that the results of the initial studies are encouraging.

 However, using CBD oil may cause certain side effects and has a certain drug to drug interactions. Also, lactating mothers and people on blood thinners are advised not to take CBD oil as it may complicate the process. Apart from that, it may further thin the blood and cause excessive bleeding.