It has been recently reported that cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, is able to kill glioma cells, both in vivo and in vitro, independently of cannabinoid receptor stimulation. However, the underlying biochemical mechanisms were not clarified. In the present study, we performed biochemical analysis of the effect of CBD both in vivo, by using glioma tumor tissues excised from nude mice, and in vitro, by using U87 glioma cells. In vivo exposure of tumor tissues to CBD significantly decreased the activity and content of 5-lipoxygenase (LOX, by approximately 40%), and of its end product leukotriene B4 ( approximately 25%). In contrast cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 activity...
