Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, have revealed that a compound found in marijuana can help in the treatment of the different types of epilepsy.
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder marked by sudden recurrent episodes of sensory disturbances, loss of consciousness or convulsions, associated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
The researchers, after carrying out two studies, found out that cannabidiol (CBD), a compound found in cannabis, has reduced the frequency and severity of seizures in children and adults with severe, intractable epilepsy.
Cannabis is also known as marijuana, and is a preparation of Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or medicine.
It is often used for the mental and physical effects, such as “high” or “stoned” feeling, a general change in perception, euphoria and an increased appetite.
According to their research, CBD Oil is linked to improvement in mood, which is independent of the extent of seizure reduction. While CBD affects the brain, it does not cause euphoria or intoxication.
Patients who haven’t benefitted from standard epilepsy medications may get treated with CBD
The CBD medicine “is not a silver bullet, but there are children who benefit from this more than they have from other treatments,” Dr. Elizabeth Thiele, who worked on both studies and is the director of the Pediatric Epilepsy Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, said in a statement.
The new medicine, called Epidiolex and manufactured by GW Pharmaceuticals, is not yet approved by the United States’ Food and Drug Administration and is not yet available for sale.