Can Marijuana Benefit Children With Epilepsy?

Cannabidiol (CBD), a naturally occurring cannabinoid was found to have the most evidence of antiepileptic efficacy and does not have psychoactive effects, revealed Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology review. There has been little evidence for //its use apart from anecdotal reports, until the last year.

The review notes that in three randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trials in Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (two forms of childhood epilepsy), CBD produced a 38 percent to 41 percent median reduction in all seizures compared with 13 percent to 19 percent with placebo.

Epilepsy In Children | Seizures In Children - Causes, Complications, Types, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention
Epilepsy or seizures are caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain and seen fairly commonly in children. Symptoms can be highly variable and parents should seek prompt medical advice to treat the condition

‘With further trials and greater understanding of its role, the place of CBD in our antiepileptic armamentarium and its impact on comorbidities will become clearer.’

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Similarly, CBD resulted in a 39 percent to 46 percent responder rate (50 percent convulsive or drop-seizure reduction) compared with 14 percent to 27 percent with placebo. CBD was well tolerated, however sedation, diarrhoea, and decreased appetite were frequent.

"Community debate about the use of CBD and access to this antiepileptic therapy has been heated," the authors wrote.

Source-Eurekalert

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