Cannabis Reduces the Seizures of Children with Epilepsy By 86%

Feb, 2022 - By SMI

A research found that treating epilepsy children with whole-plant cannabis products reduced the frequency of seizures by an average of 86%.

In 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved cannabidiol (CBD) formulation called Epidiolex to cure serious types of epilepsy, beginning with childhood. It was the first drug approved by US for medicinal used which is made of cannabis. For over a century, researchers have identified cannabis as an effective antiepileptic, and current research suggests that CBD is firstly responsible for these curative benefits. But epidiolex and other CBD-focused products are not always effective for all, and some scientists have theorized that the curative effects of cannabis may be affected by the combined effects of hundreds of various specific compounds derived from plants.

A small study conducted at UK disclosed a report of 10 cases which describes that whole plant cannabis products can help reduce frequency of seizure in children with serious epilepsy by around 86%. Team behind these case reports has called for direct clinical trials to see if whole-plant cannabis oil is more effective than products containing CBD at treating epilepsy. The BMJ Paediatrics Open Journal published the latest study that reports 10 case studies of children who use whole-plant cannabis extracts to cure serious epilepsy. In general, the study found that by using a different whole plant product, children reduced the frequency of seizures by 86%.

More recently, researchers have begun searching for a number of unique chemicals in cannabis, ranging from fewer known cannabinoids like CBGA to a unique group of i.e. terpenes. New research requires further research into the curative effects of these fewer known compounds. The study also describes the controversial issue of controlling THC to children in curative surroundings. Researchers have noted that any potential harmful effects of whole-plant cannabis products on children should be weighed against the known adverse effects of many anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs).