Health & Medicine
Marijuana Can Cure Epilepsy: Recent Studies Done By Scientists Of Birmingham Epilepsy Center Revealed
Tripti
First Posted: Dec 07, 2016 02:34 AM EST
A series of trials on marijuana to treat epilepsy is conducted by the Birmingham Epilepsy Center revealed that Cannabidiol (CBD), purified from Cannabis plant or commonly known marijuana, has high beneficial effects in the treatment of epileptic patients. The study revealed that oral administration of CBD oil caused a significant reduction in the frequency of epileptic seizures in adult and pediatric patients.
Marijuana Against Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a severe neurological condition. The frequency of the seizures is the most important factor that determines the severity of the disease. Many rare forms of epilepsy viz Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome do not respond well to the conventional treatment methods.
A group of scientists from the Birmingham Epilepsy Center collaborated with the Massachusetts General Hospital and "Children's of Alabama" to test the potential of marijuana epilepsy medication. The studies encompassed oral administration of purified CBD oil, manufactured by the GW Pharmaceuticals. The oil was extracted as per the FDA regulation and it had negligible amounts of THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana, which is responsible to make people "high," reports Science Daily.
Medical Marijuana Benefits Epileptic Patients
The marijuana epilepsy research trials included oral administration CBD oil in study group and placebo in the control group of epileptic patients. The results showed that the pediatric group recorded 39 percent reduction in number and frequency of seizures as opposed to 13 percent reduction in the placebo control group.
Furthermore, another study conducted on a group of epileptic patients consisting of both adult and children. It recorded 44 percent decrease in the frequency of seizures as compared to 22 percent in the placebo control group, reports Live Science.
However, in some cases, the patients experienced side effects such as drowsiness, diahorrea, fever and vomiting, which were linked to the possible interaction of marijuana with other administered medications such as clobazam. "The CBD medicine is not a silver nullet, but there are children who benefit from this more than thay have from other treatments," said Dr. Elizabeth Thiele, Director Pediatric Epilepsy Program, The Massachusetts General Hospital.
The GW Pharmaceutical Company manufactured the new medical marijuana formulation, called Epidiolex and funded the entire research program. The drug is yet to be approved by the FDA, only after which it may available for sale and public usage.
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TagsMarijuana, Medical Marijuana, epilepsy, Seizures, Marijuana news, GW Pharmaceutical Company, Epidiolex ©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 07, 2016 02:34 AM EST
A series of trials on marijuana to treat epilepsy is conducted by the Birmingham Epilepsy Center revealed that Cannabidiol (CBD), purified from Cannabis plant or commonly known marijuana, has high beneficial effects in the treatment of epileptic patients. The study revealed that oral administration of CBD oil caused a significant reduction in the frequency of epileptic seizures in adult and pediatric patients.
Marijuana Against Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a severe neurological condition. The frequency of the seizures is the most important factor that determines the severity of the disease. Many rare forms of epilepsy viz Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome do not respond well to the conventional treatment methods.
A group of scientists from the Birmingham Epilepsy Center collaborated with the Massachusetts General Hospital and "Children's of Alabama" to test the potential of marijuana epilepsy medication. The studies encompassed oral administration of purified CBD oil, manufactured by the GW Pharmaceuticals. The oil was extracted as per the FDA regulation and it had negligible amounts of THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana, which is responsible to make people "high," reports Science Daily.
Medical Marijuana Benefits Epileptic Patients
The marijuana epilepsy research trials included oral administration CBD oil in study group and placebo in the control group of epileptic patients. The results showed that the pediatric group recorded 39 percent reduction in number and frequency of seizures as opposed to 13 percent reduction in the placebo control group.
Furthermore, another study conducted on a group of epileptic patients consisting of both adult and children. It recorded 44 percent decrease in the frequency of seizures as compared to 22 percent in the placebo control group, reports Live Science.
However, in some cases, the patients experienced side effects such as drowsiness, diahorrea, fever and vomiting, which were linked to the possible interaction of marijuana with other administered medications such as clobazam. "The CBD medicine is not a silver nullet, but there are children who benefit from this more than thay have from other treatments," said Dr. Elizabeth Thiele, Director Pediatric Epilepsy Program, The Massachusetts General Hospital.
The GW Pharmaceutical Company manufactured the new medical marijuana formulation, called Epidiolex and funded the entire research program. The drug is yet to be approved by the FDA, only after which it may available for sale and public usage.
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone