Irinotecan

For an informed discussion with your doctor or pharmacist. This information collection is not a clinically validated interaction checker. Missing data do not establish safety. Do not change or stop prescribed medicines on the basis of this information. The findings apply to the specific conditions studied; laboratory and animal studies cannot be directly extrapolated to humans.

Active substance: Irinotecan

Examples of brand names: Campto [DE]

ATC code: L01CE02

Main use (for orientation): Selected cancers

Documented research summary

Human cannabis-tea experiment without significant pharmacokinetic change (EX06); high oral THC doses, by contrast, showed animal toxicity/efficacy signals. Cell protection against SN-38 is neither clinical protection nor a pharmacokinetic interaction.

Uncertainties and limitations

Conventional intravenous CAMPTOSAR, not liposomal irinotecan.

Shared enzymes must not be equated with clinical evidence of an interaction; CBD/THC findings cannot be extrapolated to other cannabinoids.

PMID29865166: Delta8/Delta9 metadata contradictory; no reliable isomer attribution. Full-text retrieval attempts: MDPI 429/PMC CAPTCHA on 22 October 2026.

Separately recorded findings

4 separately recorded findings. Each statement applies to its documented study context.

Cannabis tea (multi-substance preparation) – clinically investigated

Finding ID: B0095

Type of result: Context-specific finding; read the limitations

Observation: No significant effect on systemic pharmacokinetics with the tea preparation investigated.

Mechanism: CYP3A/pharmacokinetic interaction clinically assessed

Study type: Clinical pharmacokinetic study with consecutive treatment cycles

Context studied: Two consecutive chemotherapy cycles; cannabis tea before the second cycle.

Clinical interpretation: Individual medical / pharmaceutical assessment; do not use as dosage instructions

Limitations and uncertainties: Low/specific exposure; no assurance of safety for CBD concentrate or other anticancer drugs.

Original sources for this finding: Medicinal Cannabis Does Not Influence the Clinical Pharmacokinetics of Irinotecan and Docetaxel [EX06]

THC – laboratory and animal studies

Finding ID: B0193

Type of result: Preclinical evidence

Observation: THC reduced irinotecan efficacy against tumour growth.

Mechanism: Antitumour effect in an animal model

Study type: Cell / animal experiment, abstract read

Context studied: CT26/BALB-c; irinotecan 60 mg/kg intraperitoneally on days 1/5, THC 7 mg/kg orally for 7 days; study doses, not use recommendations.

Clinical interpretation: Not clinically validated

Limitations and uncertainties: No human drug–drug interaction; not a treatment recommendation.

Original sources for this finding: Effects of concomitant use of THC and irinotecan on tumour growth and biochemical markers in a syngeneic mouse model of colon cancer. [BMED37791673]

THC – laboratory and animal studies

Finding ID: B0194

Type of result: Preclinical evidence

Observation: The combination caused greater leukopenia and altered urinary THC-COOH levels.

Mechanism: Haematological toxicity/metabolite excretion

Study type: Cell / animal experiment, abstract read

Context studied: Rat: irinotecan 100 mg/kg once, THC 7 mg/kg orally repeatedly.

Clinical interpretation: Not clinically validated

Limitations and uncertainties: A urine metabolite is not isolated proof of the responsible enzyme mechanism.

Original sources for this finding: Effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol on irinotecan-induced clinical effects in rats. [BMED30130528]

THC (isomer unresolved) – insufficient evidence

Finding ID: B0195

Type of result: Insufficient evidence – cannabinoid identity contradictory

Observation: The combination increased acute toxicity/stress markers over time; genotoxicity inconsistent.

Mechanism: Hepatotoxicity/oxidative stress markers

Study type: Cell / animal experiment, abstract read

Context studied: Rat study; PubMed names Delta8, the PMC title Delta9.

Clinical interpretation: Do not count as a reliable isomer-specific pair finding

Limitations and uncertainties: Isomer contradiction unresolved; explicitly NOT verified D8THC evidence; MDPI 429/PMC CAPTCHA.

Original sources for this finding: Irinotecan and Δ⁸-Tetrahydrocannabinol Interactions in Rat Liver: A Preliminary Evaluation Using Biochemical and Genotoxicity Markers. [BMED29865166]

References and access status

[V2_LABEL_D0403] CAMPTOSAR (IRINOTECAN HYDROCHLORIDE) INJECTION, SOLUTION [PHARMACIA & UPJOHN COMPANY LLC]

Original source / bibliographic reference

Authors: Pharmacia & Upjohn Company LLC

Year: 2026

Source type: Official US SPL / DailyMed

Source access – 23 October 2026: Source destination was accessible when checked.

Bibliographic attribution or source identity cross-checked.

[EX06] Medicinal Cannabis Does Not Influence the Clinical Pharmacokinetics of Irinotecan and Docetaxel

Original source / bibliographic reference

Authors: Engels FK; de Jong FA; Sparreboom A; Mathôt RAA; Loos WJ; Kitzen J; de Bruijn P; Verweij J; Mathijssen RHJ

Year: 2007

Source type: Clinical pharmacokinetic study with consecutive treatment cycles

DOI: 10.1634/theoncologist.12-3-291

PMID: 17405893

Source access – 23 October 2026: Direct retrieval could not be fully verified; availability remains unresolved.

Bibliographic attribution or source identity cross-checked.

DOI – publisher access (access restrictions may apply)

[BMED37791673] Effects of concomitant use of THC and irinotecan on tumour growth and biochemical markers in a syngeneic mouse model of colon cancer.

Original source / bibliographic reference

Authors: Žunec S, Karačonji IB, Čatalinac M, Jurič A, Katić A, Kozina G, Micek V, Neuberg M, Vrdoljak AL.

Year: 2023

Source type: Publication; title and abstract reviewed

DOI: 10.2478/aiht-2023-74-3765

PMID: 37791673

Source access – 23 October 2026: Automated direct retrieval was restricted; this does not establish that the link is broken.

Bibliographic attribution or source identity cross-checked.

PubMed – bibliographic reference / abstract

PubMed Central – archived text

DOI – publisher access (access restrictions may apply)

[BMED30130528] Effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol on irinotecan-induced clinical effects in rats.

Original source / bibliographic reference

Authors: Prester L, Mikolić A, Jurič A, Fuchs N, Neuberg M, Lucić Vrdoljak A, Brčić Karačonji I.

Year: 2018

Source type: Publication; title and abstract reviewed

DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2018.08.009

PMID: 30130528

Source access – 23 October 2026: Automated direct retrieval was restricted; this does not establish that the link is broken.

Bibliographic attribution or source identity cross-checked.

PubMed – bibliographic reference / abstract

DOI – publisher access (access restrictions may apply)

[BMED29865166] Irinotecan and Δ⁸-Tetrahydrocannabinol Interactions in Rat Liver: A Preliminary Evaluation Using Biochemical and Genotoxicity Markers.

Original source / bibliographic reference

Authors: Lucić Vrdoljak A, Fuchs N, Mikolić A, Žunec S, Brčić Karačonji I, Jurič A, Prester L, Micek V, Neuberg M, Čanović S, Mršić G, Kopjar N.

Year: 2018

Source type: Publication; title and abstract reviewed

DOI: 10.3390/molecules23061332

PMID: 29865166

Source access – 23 October 2026: Automated direct retrieval was restricted; this does not establish that the link is broken.

Bibliographic attribution or source identity cross-checked.

PubMed – bibliographic reference / abstract

PubMed Central – archived text

DOI – publisher access (access restrictions may apply)

[BMED38950639] Selected phytocannabinoids inhibit SN-38- and cytokine-evoked increases in epithelial permeability and improve intestinal barrier function in vitro.

Original source / bibliographic reference

Authors: Marsh DT, Smid SD.

Year: 2024

Source type: Publication; title and abstract reviewed

DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2024.105888

PMID: 38950639

Source access – 23 October 2026: Automated direct retrieval was restricted; this does not establish that the link is broken.

Bibliographic attribution or source identity cross-checked.

PubMed – bibliographic reference / abstract

DOI – publisher access (access restrictions may apply)

[BMED38975420] NHS-Reimbursed Cannabis Flowers for Cancer Palliative Care and the Management of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: An Autobiographical Case Report.

Original source / bibliographic reference

Authors: Roberts M, Brown MRD, Moreno-Sanz G.

Year: 2024

Source type: Publication; title and abstract reviewed

DOI: 10.7759/cureus.61791

PMID: 38975420

Source access – 23 October 2026: Automated direct retrieval was restricted; this does not establish that the link is broken.

Bibliographic attribution or source identity cross-checked.

PubMed – bibliographic reference / abstract

PubMed Central – archived text

DOI – publisher access (access restrictions may apply)

[BMED34576262] Synergistic Interactions of Cannabidiol with Chemotherapeutic Drugs in MCF7 Cells: Mode of Interaction and Proteomics Analysis of Mechanisms.

Original source / bibliographic reference

Authors: Alsherbiny MA, Bhuyan DJ, Low MN, Chang D, Li CG.

Year: 2021

Source type: Publication; title and abstract reviewed

DOI: 10.3390/ijms221810103

PMID: 34576262

Source access – 23 October 2026: Automated direct retrieval was restricted; this does not establish that the link is broken.

Bibliographic attribution or source identity cross-checked.

PubMed – bibliographic reference / abstract

PubMed Central – archived text

DOI – publisher access (access restrictions may apply)

Research as of 23 October 2026. Not all original full texts could be reviewed in full. Source accessibility and the strength of scientific evidence must be assessed separately. An accessible link does not establish medical approval; a bibliographic record with an abstract does not replace the original full text.

Drug search and explanation of the evidence · Guide: cannabinoids and medicines · Author and responsibility