Cannabidiol cuts seizures from epilepsy

THE first large-scale clinical trial of a cannabis derivative known as cannabidiol shows it was able to cut the frequency of severe epileptic seizures by 39 percent, researchers said on Wednesday.

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is derived from cannabis plants, but does not cause users to get high.

The study in the NewEngland JournalofMedicine comes after years of anecdotal evidence of cannabidiol’s effects. It focused on young patients with Dravet syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy.

A total of 120 children and adolescents, aged 2 to 18, with Dravet Syndrome were randomised to receive either a placebo or CBD, in addition to their usual treatment. The trial took place at 23 sites in the US and Europe over the course of 14 weeks.

“Seizure frequency dropped in the CBD-treated group by 39 percent from a median of nearly 12 convulsive seizures per month before the study to about six,” said the study. “Three patients’ seizures stopped entirely.”

“We still need more research, but this new trial provides more evidence than we have ever had of cannabidiol’s effectiveness as a medication for treatmentresistant epilepsy,” said lead investigator Orrin Devinsky.