Health & Medicine
Marijuana Extract May Help Some Cases Of Severe Epilepsy
Kathleen Lees
First Posted: Dec 08, 2015 06:34 PM EST
Cannabidiol, a derivative of marijuana, may help some children with severe epilepsy, according to a recent study. The study specifically looked at the use of Epidiolex, a pharmaceutical liquid formulation of cannabidiol.
During the study, researchers gave 261 participants about the age of 11 the natural derivative over the course of three months. The findings revealed that seizures reduced by 45 percent, on average.
"In the subsequent periods, which are very encouraging, 9 percent of all patients and 13 percent of those with Dravet Syndrome epilepsy were seizure-free. Many have never been seizure-free before," Dr. Orrin Devinsky, a neurologist at the New York University Langone Medical Center and lead author on the study, said in a news release.
However, there were some side-effects reported in some patients. Five percent had changes in their liver enzymes or diarrhea and another 12 percent stopped taking the medication during the study because it didn't help.
Researchers then conducted a second study over the course of 12 months on 25 children with epilepsy who were about 9 years old, on average. By the end of the study, 10 of the children experienced a 50 percent reduction in their seizures. However, 12 of them stopped taking the medication because it didn't help or-in one case-it increased the frequency of the seizures, according to The Washington Post.
As results come from a small study sample, more testing will be needed to confirm the findings.
The research will be presented at the American Epilepsy Society's annual meeting this week in Philadelphia.
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TagsHealth, Human, epilepsy, American Epilepsy Society's annual meeting, Philadelphia, Study, Cannabidiol, Pharmaceutical, Liquid, Seizures, New York University Langone Medical Center ©2024 ScienceWorldReport.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The window to the world of science news.
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First Posted: Dec 08, 2015 06:34 PM EST
Cannabidiol, a derivative of marijuana, may help some children with severe epilepsy, according to a recent study. The study specifically looked at the use of Epidiolex, a pharmaceutical liquid formulation of cannabidiol.
During the study, researchers gave 261 participants about the age of 11 the natural derivative over the course of three months. The findings revealed that seizures reduced by 45 percent, on average.
"In the subsequent periods, which are very encouraging, 9 percent of all patients and 13 percent of those with Dravet Syndrome epilepsy were seizure-free. Many have never been seizure-free before," Dr. Orrin Devinsky, a neurologist at the New York University Langone Medical Center and lead author on the study, said in a news release.
However, there were some side-effects reported in some patients. Five percent had changes in their liver enzymes or diarrhea and another 12 percent stopped taking the medication during the study because it didn't help.
Researchers then conducted a second study over the course of 12 months on 25 children with epilepsy who were about 9 years old, on average. By the end of the study, 10 of the children experienced a 50 percent reduction in their seizures. However, 12 of them stopped taking the medication because it didn't help or-in one case-it increased the frequency of the seizures, according to The Washington Post.
As results come from a small study sample, more testing will be needed to confirm the findings.
The research will be presented at the American Epilepsy Society's annual meeting this week in Philadelphia.
Related Articles
Pregnancy And Epilepsy: Premature Birth Risk Higher With Seizures
Neurology: Could Music Help Treat Epilepsy?
For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone