Marijuana has been used in medicine for millennia, but it was not until 1964 that D9- tetrahydrocannabinol (D 9 -THC), its major psychoactive component, was isolated in pure form and its structure was elucidated. Shortly thereafter it was synthesized and became readily available. However, it took another decade until the first report on its antineoplastic activity appeared. In 1975, Munson discovered that cannabinoids suppress Lewis lung carcinoma cell growth. The mechanism of this action was shown to be inhibition of DNA synthesis. Antiproliferative action on some other cancer cells was also found. In spite of the promising results from these early studies, further investigations...

The cannabis plant and products produced from it, such as marijuana and hashish, have been used for centuries for their psychoactive properties. The mechanism for how Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active constituent of cannabis, elicits these neurological effects remained elusive until relatively recently, when specific G-protein coupled receptors were discovered that appeared to mediate cellular actions of THC. Shortly after discovery of these specific receptors, endogenous ligands (endocannabinoids) were identified. Since that time, an extensive number of papers have been published on the endocannabinoid signaling system, a widespread neuromodulatory mechanism that influences neurotransmission throughout the nervous system. This paper summarizes presentations given at...