Approximately one third of patients with seizure disorders do not respond to traditional epilepsy medications. Cannabis stops epilepsy seizures. The National Library of Medicine conducted a literature review of several cannabis studies concerning epilepsy. Click here for the full research article!
How Cannabis works
This literature review was conducted in 2018. It showed that cannabis helped as an anti-seizure medication. The cannabis sativa plant was used medicinally since ancient times. Also, the cannabis sativa plant was used to treat epilepsy. It has more than 80 active ingredients. The most active ingredients are cannabinoids including delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD). CBD is considered safer and more effective in treating seizures. It has less psychotropic effects. It was in the 19th century that THC began to play a large medicinal role. Since several U.S. states legalized the use of medical cannabis, universities started clinical trials on CBD. Then more recently trials began on Propyl analog of CBD, THC and Cannabidivarin (CBDV). (Stop the Pain!)
CBD & Seizure/Epilepsy – side effects
Epilepsy is a seizure disorder of the brain. Epilepsy is considered to be the most common non-communicable brain diseases. Approximately one-third of patients with epilepsy have seizures that are resistant to anti-epileptic medications. The traditional seizure medications have severe negative side effects. It is important to find anti-seizure medications that have no negative side effects. CBD is the most studied molecule for the treatment of epilepsy. CBD and CBDV were developed as anti-convulsant drugs because they have no negative side effects. Until now, its mechanism of action was not fully understood. Cannabis may be used in several different forms (i.e. smoking, edibles, lotions and more), however, for people with seizure disorders, this review indicated that CBD and THC needed to be in their purest forms. The purest forms are extracts, tinctures, and edibles.
What next?
There is current research about epilepsy and cannabis. Check this site for all the current studies.