title: Therapeutic potential of cannabinoids in counteracting chemotherapy-induced adverse effects: an exploratory review.
abstract: Cannabinoids (the active constituents of Cannabis sativa) and their derivatives have got intense attention during recent years because of their extensive pharmacological properties. Cannabinoids first developed as successful agents for alleviating chemotherapy associated nausea and vomiting. Recent investigations revealed that cannabinoids have a wide range of therapeutic effects such as appetite stimulation, inhibition of nausea and emesis, suppression of chemotherapy or radiotherapy-associated bone loss, chemotherapy-induced nephrotoxicity and cardiotoxicity, pain relief, mood amelioration, and last but not the least relief from insomnia. In this exploratory review, we scrutinize the potential of cannabinoids to counteract chemotherapy-induced side effects. Moreover, some novel and yet important pharmacological aspects of cannabinoids such as antitumoral effects will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Sattar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ostadhadi
authors.forename: Mahdieh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rahmatollahi
authors.forename: Ahmad-Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Dehpour
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rahimian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002188:Cannabis / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002186:Cannabinoids
keywords: adverse effects; cannabinoids; chemotherapy