Cannabis with a high content of
Cannabidiol
CBD have been found to help treat epilepsy in some patients. A
certain type of epilepsy, called Dravet Syndrome has shown the most
promising treatment with marijuana than other types of epilepsy.
Most treatment is administered with a cannabis oil from the
Charlotte's Web Strain made by a non-profit organization Realm of
Caring(
Source),
however much of the
CBD
rich cannabis administered gives similar treatment and different
concentrations of CBD, THC and THCA are needed for a more precise
treatment for the patient. Legislation and regulation of the
medicine is targeting a CBD only medicine, but many believe it is the
whole plant that offer the effects, not just the CBD
cannabinoid.(
Source)
Here is a compiled list of studies that show the
benefits of Cannabis with Epilepsy:
September 2003 - The Journal of
Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics -
The
Endogenous Cannabinoid System Regulates Seizure Frequency and
Duration in a Model of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
This study showed in rats that had
epileptic seizures to be reduces or terminated with THC and CBD from
the effect that the cannabinoids had on the
CB1
Receptors.
March 2004 – US National Library of
Medicine -
Endocannabinoid
Effects on Febrile Seizures: Not Just a Toke(n) Mechanism
This study showed that in rats a
febrile seizure lasting up to 22 minutes was regulated or terminated
with cannabis from it's ability to inhibit GABA, a form of
neurotransmitters, which also shows that the result of seizures
relies in the increase of GABA being released.
May 2004 – US National Library of
Medicine -
Cannabinoids:
Defending the Epileptic Brain
Another study showing the benefits of
Cannabis affecting mice in the CB1 receptors, using both the THC and
CBD.
June 2004 – Neurology.org -
Marijuana
use and epilepsy
This is a telephone survey, calling
people with epilepsy and finding if they have used marijuana
treatment and their findings. 24% of patients called felt that
marijuana was an effective treatment for their epilepsy.
November 2004 – ScienceDirect.com -
On-demand
activation of the endocannabinoid system in the control of neuronal
excitability and epileptiform seizures
This study formulates a theory that
certain types of seizures can be surpressed or increased with the
cannabinoid system and how it regulates the GABA can help regulate
the endocannabinoid system.
January 2006 – US National Library of
Medicine -
Endocannabinoids:
A Critical Regulator of Activity in the Developing Brain
Study showing that the theory that
during pregnancy the interferance with marijuana to inhibit CB1
activity or an obesity drug that increases CB1 activity can disrupt
the developing endocannabinoid system.
Marijuana
and Epilepsy – page on Neuro Science Fundamentals
This article talks about Charlotte
Figi's story and the introduction of the Charlotte's Web strain to
help treat epilepsy.
Edward Maa M.D, an assistant professor
at the University of Colorado
Department
of Neurology,is
conducting a study at University of Colorado Anshutz Medical Campus
on epilepsy research. The study will separate epilepsy
sufferers in two groups of whether the Charlotte's Web strain reduces
the epilepsy symptoms by 50% and another group that the symptoms are
not helped by the cannabis strain. He will do genetic analysis to
find out what the differences in the epilepsy is to help target the
marijuana to the correct patients.(
Source)
On July 28
th, 2014 The Realm
of Caring released the
Charlotte's
Web Medical Hemp Act of 2014 to legalize federally the CBD only
oil for epilepsy. Many believe this is not a complete effort for
treatment, Edward Maa is at the forefront in writing articles on how
important it is for the treatment to use the whole plant, just not
the isolated Cannabidiol CBD.(
Source)
Jason David, a parent treating his 7 year old son with epilepsy
mentions in a report by
ladybud.com that his son Jayden suffered from
the wrong concentration of cannabinoids from the Charlotte's Web
strain. He states:
“They’re not telling the whole
truth,” says David. “There’s no way possible that all these
children in Colorado could get seizure control and get off all their
medications without using different ratios and adding THC and THCA
(which are not allowed by the newly proposed legislation).
Charlotte’s Web can work great in the beginning but it’s
impossible to get off all the medications and go through benzo
withdrawals without being able to play with the THC ratios.”
(
Source)
Source:
http://time.com/3264691/medical-marijauna-epilepsy-research-charlottes-web-study/
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/epi.12610/abstract
http://www.ladybud.com/2014/07/29/a-limited-amount-of-caring-parents-and-advocates-react-to-realm-of-carings-federal-cbd-only-bill/
http://theroc.us/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=22:charlotte-s-web-medical-hemp-act-of-2014&Itemid=498
