A medical marijuana extract shows significant promise as a treatment for young epileptics as it could reduce seizures in children with severe epilepsy who do not usually respond to other treatments, according to a study developed by the Langone Comprenhensive Epilepsy Center at New York University ( USA) and published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
The study is based on the use of cannabidiol extract , the main component of this plant and that, unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is not psychoactive , so it does not have a direct effect on the central nervous system or modify its functions or perceptions.
213 patients participated in the experiment , among young adults and children with an average age of 11 years and diagnosed with severe epilepsy (which entails life-long seizures), who were orally administered cannabidiol. During the 12 weeks that the study lasted, the researchers found that seizures had been reduced in the children by an average of 54% .
At the beginning and at the end of this experimental treatment approved by the FDA ( US Food and Drug Administration ), 6% of the participants had to abandon the trial due to the side effects of this medicinal form of marijuana: diarrhea, drowsiness, tiredness or decreased appetite.
In any case, the results are encouraging , according to the scientists, since the medical application of this non-psychoactive component of marijuana could help, apart from epilepsy, for multiple sclerosis, anxiety disorders or schizophrenia.
“So far there are few formal studies on this component of marijuana. These results are of great interest, especially for children and parents who are looking for a response to reduce seizures ”, clarifies Orrin Devinsky, leader of the study.
