CBD was effective in reducing seizures in children with epilepsy

In a study with 16 patients with epilepsy with an average age of 9 years old, a high-purity CBD preparation reduced the frequency of seizures. The study was conducted at Dana-Dwek Children’s Hospital in Tel Aviv, Israel. This prospective Phase II study was open to pediatric patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy at stable doses of antiepileptic drugs who suffered at least 4 seizures within 4 weeks. After a four-week observation period, patients began a two-week dose titration phase (up to 25mg/kg or 450mg, the lower of the two) followed by a ten-week maintenance treatment.

Of the 16 participants, 11 completed the entire treatment program. The average maintenance dose was 14 mg CBD per kilogram body weight. At the end of the treatment period, there was an average reduction in monthly seizure frequency of 73% compared to baseline. Two patients were completely free of seizures. 73% of the nurses stated that the condition was improved or greatly improved. The most frequently reported treatment-related adverse events were sleep disorders/insomnia (25% of patients), followed by drowsiness, increased seizure frequency, and restlessness (3 patients each (19%)). No side effect was serious or severe and all disappeared by themselves.

Mitelpunkt A, Kramer U, Hausman Kedem M, Zilbershot Fink E, Orbach R, Chernuha V, Fattal-Valevski A, Deutsch L, Heffetz D, Sacks H. The safety, tolerability, and effectiveness vom PTL-101, an oral cannabidiol formulation, in pediatric intractable epilepsy: A phase II, open-label, single-center study. Epilepsy Behav. 2019;98(Pt A):233-237.

Source: https://www.cannabis-med.org/german/bulletin

Crohn’s disease patients may be able to reduce the risk of cancer with the use of medicinal cannabis

In a study conducted by Atlanta VA Medical Center in Decatur on patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC), cannabis use was associated with a lower risk of developing colorectal cancer, anemia and hospitalisation. Among patients with Crohn’s disease, the prevalence of colorectal cancer was 4 times higher among non-users than among cannabis users. The average hospital stay was also shorter (4.2 vs. 5.0 days) with lower hospital costs among cannabis users. In patients with UC, cannabis users experienced a higher incidence of fluid and electrolyte disorders (45% vs. 30%) and hypovolemia (2.7% vs. <11), but a relatively lower incidence of postoperative infections (<11 vs. 3.4%).

Source: https://www.cannabis-med.org/

The cannabinoid cannabidivarin (CBDV) is to be tested on patients with autism

A new clinical trial at the Montefiore Medical Center has been put in place to test the effects of cannabidivarin (CBDV) on patients with autism.

Dr Eric Hollander, the lead researcher on this study, has stated that previous research has shown that CBDV could be a potential treatment for children on the spectrum as it has shown positive effects on social functioning and increased cognitive function in animal models.

Autism on the same continuum as Epilepsy

The FDA-approved medicinal cannabis, Epidiolex is mainly prescribed to treat children with epilepsy. It is manufactured by GW Pharmaceuticals who will provide the CBDV for the study. Dr Geoffrey Guy, the founder of GW Pharmaceuticals, states that symptoms of epilepsy are similar to those of autism such as loss of cognitive function, poor socializing skills and poor language skills.

Hollander believes that the electrical activity which causes episodes in epilepsy is similar to those in autism. Using anticonvulsants makes disruptive behaviour becomes less frequent in epileptic patients. Thus, he hypothesises that CBDV should also improve aggression, or the self-injury and temper tantrums in autistic patients.

Opposingly, Dr Alexander Kolevzon, the clinical director of the Seaver Autism Center at Mount Sinai, who is not involved in the study, mentions that it might be too early to tell if it is an effective medication for people on the spectrum.

Source: https://www.countable.us/articles/35397-new-clinical-trial-examine-effects-cannabis-compound-autism

The University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Health Research partners with MGC Pharmaceuticals to conduct the first ever clinical trial using cannabis as a treatment for dementia.

The actual trial is due to commence in early 2020 and will take place over 14 months and they are aiming to enrol 50 participants aged 65 and older with mild dementia or Alzheimer. The University of Notre Dame in Western Australia’s (UNDA)’s Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) approved all ethical concerns, ensuring the safety and well-being of the participants as well as bringing together medical experts, elder care practitioners and industry stakeholders. By partnering with MGC Pharmaceuticals, who have operations in Israel, Slovenia, Czech Rep, the UK and Australia, UNDA will be provided with a specially formulated medical cannabis product called CogniCann. According to MGC Pharmaceuticals, it is a specially blended CBD-THC oral-spray medication formulated to specifically treat dementia symptoms.

Is dementia treatment a national priority?

As 350,000 Australians are already living with some form of dementia, the number is to double in 40 years with an additional 1.5 million people currently involved in the care of someone with dementia. The Institute for Health Research’s director, Jim Codde, finds that dementia research should be “a national priority” to end the suffering of a disease that has no cure. In the end, finding a cure can improve that life of the patient, and more than anything, for families and caregivers too.

Literature reports the potential effects that cannabis can have in cardiovascular complications.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is more commonly known as a heart attack, which can lead to heart failure. In a multivariable analysis, it revealed that marijuana use can lead to an increased risk in AMI development, however, THC and CBD may have opposing effects. THC decreases in contractile force and coronary flow, while also inducing an increased frequency. On the other hand, CBD can increase contractile force and coronary flow, but it does not change the heart rate.

Investigations about mortality post AMI and medical cannabis

Moreover, a new study in 2018 was carried out on the relationship between patients who suffered a heart attack from 1994 – 2013 and the use of cannabis. The results showed a reduced mortality post AMI. An explanation to this can be a hint on the possible cardiac infarct preventative effects in cannabis. Although cannabis has this positive effect, consumers can still have an increased risk of mechanical ventilation after a heart attack.

Therefore, the results show clear evidence that cannabis is not associated with an increased risk, as opposed to the assumptions that it can cause unfavourable effects after a heart attack.

Source https://www.kalapa-clinic.com/en/cannabis-reduce-mortality-heart-attack/

In Germany, the sales of medicinal cannabis was at a steady increase until it boomed in the second quarter of 2019. By comparison to the second quarter of 2018, 74% more medical cannabis was reimbursed by German insurers this year. In May, it had surpassed the 10 million euro mark ever since this framework was implemented in 2017, however it dropped to 9.5 million euro in June.

The types of medicinal cannabis that were sold

This data which is published by the German National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-Spitzenverband) includes all medical cannabis sold until June 2019. These categories include cannabis preparations such as dronabinol, ground flower and full spectrum extracts, finished pharmaceutical products such as Sativex and Canemes, and unprocessed cannabis flower. The unprocessed flowers and flowers used in preparations represent 55% of the total reimbursed cannabis products during the second quarter. However, more flower was sold using private prescriptions which wasn’t applied to the data. Nevertheless, reimbursement among all categories of products grew.

Source: https://mjbizdaily.com

It was always suspected that CBD can reverse the psychiatric side effects of THC, however, researchers at Western University has proven this by showing the molecular mechanisms at work in the hippocampus. 

It wasn’t known why high levels of THC and low levels of CBD caused psychiatric effects such as paranoia, anxiety and even addictive behaviours.  At Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Professor Steven Laviolette and his team were able to identify which cannabidiol may actually block the psychoactive THC by using rats to investigate a molecule in the brain’s hippocampus which triggers the effects of THC, the extra cellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK).

CBD can block THC psychoactive effects

In their study, rats which were given more THC showed higher levels of activated ERK causing higher anxiety like behaviours.  When given only CBD, it had no effect in the ERK pathway. However, with CBD and THC combined it showed normal levels of active ERK, leading to lower anxiety levels.  According to this study, it provides strong evidence that CBD can block the THC’s psychoactive effects, by avoiding overstimulation in the ERK.

This finding shows great importance for prescribing medicinal cannabis by assuring effective and safe THC formulations

Source: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20190930