According to researchers, in a group of children and young adults with the most severe forms of epilepsy, a liquid form of marijuana known as cannabidiol reduced seizures by more than 50% without the expected high from the drug.
In an open-label study that enrolled 213 people ranging in age from toddlers to adults with a median age of 11 that suffered from dozens of types of the most severe forms of epilepsy that did not respond to other treatments. Researchers found that cannabidiol, which is taken by mouth, is relatively well tolerated. Side effects included drowsiness, tiredness, diarrhea, and decreased appetite. In total, 12 subjects of 6% of the study group stopped taking the drug due to its side effects.
One of the most notable side effects missing from the drug is the lack of the high that has made the drug popular for recreational use for centuries. CBD constitutes approximately 40% of the marijuana plant but does not leave a buzz when taken.
Patients who suffered from Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, which can cause lifelong seizures that lead to intellectual impairments, saw 53% and 55% reductions in seizures over a period of 12 weeks.
Dr. Orrin Devinsky of New York University's Langone Medical Center, the senior author of the preliminary study, said it was one of the first formal studies of CBD, and a hopeful development for children with severe, debilitating seizures, who have few effective options.
Devinsky, who will present his findings next week at the American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting, said that the early finding needs to be tested further in double-blind, placebo-controlled studies with a larger population of participants.
CBD is one of at least 85 cannabinoids that have been identified in the marijuana plant and is currently being investigated as a potential treatment for wide variety of disorders of the brain, including epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and schizophrenia.
The Food and Drug Administration has already granted Epidiolex, made by the British firm GWPharma, orphan drug status as a treatment for Dravet syndrome and has indicated it could be available to patients on a fast track basis.
Research continues on the medical benefits of marijuana and has, in recent years, begun to gain more mainstream acceptance as a treatment for both pain and other illnesses. As more discoveries and advancements are made, this acceptance is expected to widen as patients around the country and the world seek better, more effective treatments for a wide range of conditions.
