Researchers studying canine and human cell cultures found that cannabidiol, or CBD, was effective at combating the highly aggressive form of brain cancer known as glioblastoma.

People diagnosed with glioblastoma generally have a poor prognosis, and recent research advances have failed to significantly improve their survival rate.

“Further research and treatment options are urgently needed for patients afflicted by brain cancer,” Chase Gross, a student in the doctor of veterinary medicine and master of science program at Colorado State University, said in a press release. “Our work shows that CBD has the potential to provide an effective, synergistic glioblastoma therapy option and that it should continue to be vigorously studied.”

Publishing their findings in The FASEB Journal, Gross and his colleagues studied human and canine glioblastoma cells. They tested the effects on these cells of CBD isolate, which is 100% CDB, and CBD extract, which also contains small amounts of other naturally occurring compounds.

The scientists found that CBD slowed the growth of glioblastoma cells taken from both humans and dogs. There appeared to be a negligible difference between the CBD isolate and the CBD extract when it came to this effect.

“CBD has been zealously studied in cells for its anticancer properties over the last decade,” said Gross. “Our study helps complete the in vitro puzzle, allowing us to move forward in studying CBD’s effects on glioblastoma in a clinical setting using live animal models. This could lead to new treatments that would help both people and dogs that have this very serious cancer.”

Gross and his colleagues plan to assess CBD’s effects in animals with glioblastoma. Pending success in such research, they hope to begin clinical trials of CBD as a treatment for the brain cancer in dogs at the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

To read a press release about the study, click here.

To read the study abstract, click here.