Cannabis for Epilepsy, what's the Evidence?
In recent years, there has been growing interest in the use of medicinal cannabis for the treatment of different diseases, including epilepsy. A study published in 2020 says that different preclinical models of epilepsy have shown that cannabinoids have anticonvulsant properties, and that is why 100% purified cannabidiol and cannabis extracts enriched with cannabidiol have begun to be used for the treatment of epilepsy.
The study talks about the advantages of cannabis-based medicines. It highlights their importance by saying: “In this search for new medicines, cannabis-based products emerge as an effective and safe therapeutic alternative.
Currently, cannabinoids are considered a complementary tool for the symptomatic management of different chronic neurological diseases, when other first-line therapies have failed.”
What can be treated with cannabis?
Current scientific evidence supports the use of cannabis-based products for the treatment of:
- Refractory epilepsy
- Chronic neuropathic pain
- Spasticity and bladder dysfunction associated with multiple sclerosis
- Some movement disorders such as tremors, dystonia or Tourette syndrome
- Some sleep disorders related to neurological diseases
Regarding the evidence supporting the efficacy of cannabis extracts, the study explains one of the best-known cases of success in Epilepsy treatment with cannabis. Charlotte Figi is an American girl with Dravet syndrome and refractory epilepsy who had a significant improvement in the control of her disease after using a cannabis extract enriched with CBD.
One of the largest surveys targeting family members and caregivers of patients with epilepsy was published in 2015. This survey targeted parents of children with epilepsy (infantile spasms and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome) who were using a CBD-enriched cannabis extract and who were between 3 and 10 years of age. 85% reported reduced seizure frequency and 14% reported complete freedom from seizures. Many responded that the children also had an improvement in sleep patterns, alertness and mood.
In an Australian survey, 137 of 976 people surveyed were found to be using or had used cannabis products for the treatment of epilepsy. The products were perceived as effective for seizure control in 71% of children and 89.5% of adults, and almost half of respondents reported a reduction in the use of concomitant antiepileptic drugs.
In another study conducted in Mexico in which 53 parents of children with epilepsy between 9 months and 18 years of age were surveyed, the majority of patients had Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and unspecified refractory epilepsy. 81% of parents reported a reduction in seizure frequency with the use of CBD-enriched cannabis extracts and 16% reported complete freedom from seizures.
How does cannabis work against Epilepsy?
An article from Fundación Canna explains that some cannabinoids modulate neuronal activity, decreasing the hyperexcitability that epileptic patients present. They explain that cannabinoids such as CBD and THC are effective in situations of neuroinflammation and help reduce oxidative stress. “There is a neuroprotective effect, as well as an antiepileptic effect. In many cases, THC needs to be present in different ratios or proportions to complete the effect of CBD,” they indicate.
This article also highlights the effectiveness of cannabis treatment: “In most cases, in 65% of patients, the number of seizures and their frequency of occurrence is reduced. In some patients, the type of seizure changes, and its intensity is reduced, and therefore the children are calmer, and their brains can be dedicated to much-needed tasks and skills, with parents frequently commenting that it is more connected.”
More From Soft Secrets:
New trials into benefits of medicinal cannabis for kids with epilepsy
L
Liz Filmer
.jpg)
