"Safety and efficacy of cannabidiol in children and adults with treatment resistant Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet syndrome"

Since 2014, patients with severe treatment-resistant epilepsies (TREs) have been receiving add-on cannabidiol (CBD) in an ongoing, expanded access program (EAP), which closely reflects clinical practice.

Researchers conducted an interim analysis of long-term efficacy and tolerability in patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) or Dravet syndrome (DS) who received CBD treatment through December 2016.

The Study...

Children and adults with LGS/DS taking stable doses of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) at baseline were included from 25 EAP sites across the United States.

During the 4-week baseline period, parents/caregivers kept diaries of all countable seizure types. Patients received a pharmaceutical formulation of highly purified CBD in oral solution at 2-10 mg/kg/day, titrated until tolerability limit or a maximum dose of 25-50 mg/kg/day.

"CBD and Epilepsy"

Epilepsy is a common neurologic disorder, it is estimated that ∼50 million people are affected worldwide. 

About one third of those patients are drug resistant, defined as failure to stop all seizures despite adequate trials of at least 2 appropriate medications.

CBD (cannabidiol) has been shown to be an effective treatment for epilepsy, particularly in reducing the frequency and severity of seizures in people with certain types of epilepsy.

In 2018, the FDA approved a CBD-based medication called Epidiolex for the treatment of two rare forms of childhood epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. Clinical trials showed that Epidiolex significantly reduced the number of seizures in patients with these conditions.

CBD works by interacting with the body's endocannabinoid system, which plays a role in regulating various bodily functions, including mood, pain, and sleep. It is thought that CBD may help to reduce seizures by interacting with certain receptors in the brain and nervous system.

There has been an enormous interest in developing antiepileptic drugs with novel mechanisms of action. This review discusses the evidence supporting the anticonvulsant properties of cannabis in humans, focusing on cannabidiol.

"Cannabis and Migrains"

A migraine is a primary headache disorder characterized by recurrent headaches that are moderate to severe.

Typically, the headaches affect one half of the head, are pulsating in nature, and last from a few hours to 3 days.

Associated symptoms may include nausea,vomiting & sensitivity to light,sound or smell.

A surprising fact is that cannabis and tinctures have been used to treat headaches and migraines for hundreds and possibly even thousands of years.

Some of the prevailing theories about how cannabis can help with migraines and headaches have to do with its potent and proven properties as an analgesic (pain reliever), and antiemetic (preventing nausea and vomiting), and due to its powerful anti-inflammatory effects.

The good news is that studies centering around the effects on headaches and migraines have shown a lot of promise and it may be just the solution you’ve been searching for.

"CBD and Schizophrenia Safety and Effectiveness"

Schizophrenia is a mental illness characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis.

Major symptoms include hallucinations, delusions and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social withdrawal, decreased emotional expression, and lack of motivation.

Cannabis and mental health are strongly linked.Cannabis helps support health across various facets of mind, brain and body. But there is no end to the wellness advantages it can offer.Cannabis can assist with mental health, help clear your mind, and alleviate depression.It will help you concentrate, and open up a whole fresh realm of energy and liveliness.

The two most abundant cannabinoids in Cannabis are THC and CBD. Different forms of cannabis vary in the relative proportions of THC and CBD, and the risk of psychotic symptoms and impaired cognitive functioning following cannabis use is lower with cannabis preparations that have a relatively high CBD content.

The aim of the present study was to explore the safety and effectiveness of CBD as an adjunctive treatment in schizophrenia. Researchers examined the effects of CBD on positive and negative psychotic symptoms, cognitive performance, level of functioning, and the treating psychiatrist’s overall clinical impression.

"Medical Cannabis Treatment in Autism: Analysis of Safety and Efficacy"

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) worldwide. 

Recently anecdotal evidence of possible therapeutic effects of cannabis products has emerged. 

The aim of this study is to characterize the epidemiology of ASD patients receiving medical cannabis treatment and to describe its safety and efficacy. 

Researchers analyse the data prospectively collected as part of the treatment program of 188 ASD patients treated with medical cannabis between 2015 and 2017. The treatment in majority of the patients was based on cannabis oil containing 30% CBD and 1.5% THC.

The Study...

During the study period, 188 ASD patients initiated the treatment. Diagnosis of ASD was established in accordance with the accepted practice in Israel. 6 board certified paediatric psychiatrists and neurologists were responsible for treatment of 125 patients (80.6%), the remaining 30 children were referred by 22 other physicians.

"CBD Oil for Peripheral Neuropathy"

Neuropathy can affect your overall wellbeing and quality of life. It involves an intense pain that is challenging to manage because it affects the nerves of the peripheral nervous system. 

Patients suffering from neuropathy often use opioids pain medications. Although these medications can be useful in reducing pain, they pose the risk of overdose, addiction, and abuse.

Due to this, most people look for alternative treatments.

CBD is becoming a preferred alternative remedy for patients with neuropathy. This is because its the non-psychoactive component of marijuana that has numerous health benefits. CBD doesn’t produce any side effects and is an appropriate option for patients.

What is Peripheral Neuropathy?

Understanding what Peripheral neuropathy means is important to appreciating the possible remedy that CBD oil brings to the victims. It is a medical disorder that occurs when there is damage to the nerves that link the other body parts such as skin and muscles to the spinal cord and the brain. Damage to these nerves interferes with communication between other parts of the body and the brain. Besides, it reduces sensation in the legs and arms, affects movement and causes pain.

However, the dose matters when it comes to neuropathic pain, and it is crucial to start with small doses and examine their impact on your body before increasing the quantity. Once you get a preferred dosage, stick to it.

"Cannabis and Cannabinoids. Integrative, alternative, and complementary therapies"

Cannabis, also known as marijuana, is a plant grown in many parts of the world. It makes a resin (thick substance) that contains compounds called cannabinoids.

Cannabis and cannabinoids have been studied for relief of pain, nausea and vomiting, anxiety, and loss of appetite caused by cancer or the side effects of cancer therapies.

Cancer patients considering complementary and alternative therapies should discuss this decision with their doctor, nurse, or pharmacist as they would any type of treatment. Some complementary and alternative therapies may affect their standard treatment or may be harmful when used with conventional treatment.

The National Cancer Institute and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) are sponsoring a number of clinical trials (research studies) at medical centers to test CAM therapies for use in cancer.

What are cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids, also known as phytocannabinoids, are chemicals in Cannabis that cause drug-like effects in the body, including the central nervous system and the immune system. The main psychoactive cannabinoid in Cannabis is delta-9-THC.

Another active cannabinoid is cannabidiol (CBD), which may relieve pain and lower inflammation without causing the high of delta-9-THC.Cannabinoids may help treat the side effects of cancer and cancer treatment.

"Can Cannabis Help With Anorexia?"

Cannabinoids gaining great interest, with great focus for the treatment of eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and cachexia.

And it's not secret that anorexia has proven to be notoriously difficult to treat with traditional medications...



Cannabinoids such as CBD have been shown to be compounds with multi-modal action mechanisms, with clear therapeutic potential in different medical areas and some important clues comes from 5 studies about the role of the endocannabinoid system in anorexia.

There are several clinical studies in recent years show that cannabis is an effective treatment to help people with anorexia, to gain weight again.

But while gaining weight is often the main target of success in these studies, digging into the results shows an even more important pattern: How cannabis may help relieve some of the stress and anxiety associated with psychological and emotional trauma, making it a potentially unique treatment in the field of mainstream medicine.

"First Evidence of Immune Response Targeting Brain Cells in Autism"

What would you think if someone told you that if you boosted your immune system you could even prevent Autism Disorders???

Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by difficulties with social interaction,communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. 


Is associated with a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Risk factors during pregnancy include certain infections, such as rubella, toxins including valproic acid, alcohol, cocaine, pesticides, lead, and air pollution, fetal growth restriction, and autoimmune diseases.

Back in 2012 the first step was done in a mouse model study that tied the autism-related behaviors with immune changes. Several large epidemiological studies have found a correlation between viral infection during the first trimester of a mother's pregnancy and a higher risk for autism spectrum disorder in her child.

But this time researchers examine hummans brains and found that autism spectrum disorder could be an autoimmune disease.
"We haven't proved causality, but this is one clue in support of the idea that Autism might be an Autoimmune Disorder"...

Investigators typically aim potential treatments at specific pathologies in brain diseases, such as the tangles and plaques that characterize Alzheimer’s disease and the Lewy bodies seen in Parkinson’s. Researchers states that: "Until now, we didn't had a promising target like that in autism"

"Should You Use Cannabis to Prevent Illnesses"???

Did you know that we could target in the ECS to prevent illness and maintain better health?

Our bodies consist of many unique physiologic systems whose sole purpose is to maintain an internal balance called homeostasis. 

We know the pancreas releases insulin to balance glucose levels between the bloodstream and cells. The thyroid gland releases thyroid hormone, which regulates vital bodily functions related to metabolism, body temperature and much more. Acctually our bodies are working constantly to stay balanced in response to our external environment.

The "Endocannabinoid System" (ECS)...

In the quest to understand how THC causes its intoxicating effects, scientists discovered that we have yet another regulatory physiologic system, called "Endocannabinoid System" (ECS) whose role is to maintain bodily homeostasis & biological harmony. Acctualy the ECS  is the most widespread receptor system in the human body and has been described as being protective and necessary for life.

"CBD & Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome"

Patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a rare, severe form of epileptic encephalopathy, are frequently treatment resistant to available medications. 

Until now there are few controlled studies that have investigated the use of cannabidiol for patients with seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.




But in this study, which was published on March 17,2018 in the Lancet Jurnals, the reserchers assessed the efficacy and safety of cannabidiol as an add-on anticonvulsant therapy in this population of patients.

 The study...

In 24 clinical sites in the USA, the Netherlands, and Poland, reserchers investigated the efficacy of cannabidiol as add-on therapy for drop seizures in patients with treatment-resistant Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.All patients had Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, including a history of slow spike-and-wave patterns on electroencephalogram, evidence of more than one type of generalised seizure for at least 6 months, at least two drop seizures per week during the 4-week baseline period, and had not responded to treatment with at least two antiepileptic drugs.

"9 year old girl has been nearly seizure-free since she started taking cannabis oil"

Teagan Appleby, from Aylesham, Kent, was born with the rare chromosome disorder isodicentric chromosome 15 syndrome, which led to her being diagnosed with severe Lennox Gastaut Syndrome epilepsy when she was just four years old.

The youngster's condition became so bad she was unable to eat and even had to be put in a medically-induced coma after she had five seizures over eight days last summer.

After having one of the worst cases of epilepsy her doctors have ever seen, Teagan has only had seizures while asleep, and none while awake, since she started taking cannabis oil in July. 

Teagan's mother Emma Appleby, 35, claims she was forced to call for an ambulance at least once a week before her daughter started taking cannabis oil. 

Speaking before, Ms Appleby said: 'It just got really bad, very quickly. She seizures every day and she can seizure up to 300 times a day.

'She's lost all of her skills – she didn't have many because she's been delayed anyway.

'Before she had epilepsy she could run around in the garden and feed herself but now she is completely dependent on someone to look after her.

"The Use of Cannabis for Headache & Migraine"

Headache disorders are common, debilitating, and, in many cases, inadequately managed by existing treatments. Each year, 47% of the population experience headache, including migraine and some preclinical trials of cannabis for neuropathic pain have shown promising results, specifically for headache disorders. 


A sexual dimorphism exists for headache disorders, with women 2–3 times more likely to experience migraine and 1.25 times more likely to experience tension-type headache than men.

Historical reports, though not ideal forms of evidence, are important resources for understanding the potential use of cannabis in the treatment of headache disorders. Clinical publications between 1839 and 1937 provide valuable insights into the most effective practices, challenges, and benefits during an era when cannabis was commonly used to treat headache.

Currently, there is not enough evidence from well-designed clinical trials to support the use of cannabis for headache, but there are sufficient anecdotal and preliminary results...

Can Medical Marijuana’s Chemicals May Protect Cells???

As more countries legalize Cannabis treatment, scientists are learning how the plant's chemicals may help conditions ranging from brain injuries to cancer.

They might protect the brain from the effects of trauma, ease the spasms of multiple sclerosis and reduce epileptic seizures. 




Further preliminary work indicates that the chemicals may slow the growth of tumors and reduce brain damage in Alzheimer's disease.

-After inducing human breast cancer tumors in mice, researchers in the U.K. found they could shrink the tumors by administering THC. The chemical may disrupt cancer cell growth as it binds to CB2 receptors, which are much more abundant on cancer cells than on healthy ones. 

-Taken together, CBD & THC are promising agents for inhibiting breast cancer progression.By influencing the tumor microenvironment and the immune system,they are able to reduce inflammation, inhibit tumor cell growth, induce apoptosis, and cause autophagy

-At the University of South Carolina, a team discovered that THC could reduce the inflammation associated with autoimmune diseases by suppressing the activity of certain genes involved in the immune response.

-And at the University of South Florida, researchers working with cells in a lab showed that extremely low concentrations of THC could reduce production of beta amyloid, the protein that forms the plaque abundant in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. 

(This article was originally published with the title "Marijuana's Medical Future" in Scientific American 312, 2, 32-34 (February 2015)

doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0215-32)

Sources: https://www.scientificamerican.com
             https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Doctor’s 25 years of research shows cancer patients live 4X longer by refusing chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is one of the most expensive medical treatments in the world today, but is it actually…effective? Thanks to alternative media and documentaries like the ‘Truth About Cancer’ series, more and more people are beginning to question not only its efficacy, but also whether it actually does more harm than good.

Believe it or not that questioned may have been answered more than 40 years ago, when a shocking study was released that could have ended the chemo experiment — if anyone had been paying attention.

Dr. Hardin B. Jones, a former Professor of Medical Physics and Physiology at Berkeley, California, concluded after over 25 years of research not only that chemotherapy, radiation and surgery do not work and do not prolong a cancer patient’s life, but patients receiving these types of oncological treatments in many cases die much sooner than those who choose to be untreated. Treated patients also die a much more painful death.

“People who refused chemotherapy treatment live an average of 12 and a half years longer than the people who are receiving chemotherapy,” wrote Dr. Jones in the journal of the New York Academy of Sciences.

"CBDA for Psoriasis, Arthritis and Anxiety...???"

Cannabis research pioneer hopes latest discovery is not overlooked again...

Raphael Mechoulam, an Israeli organic chemist and professor of medicinal chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, remembers the letdown after his groundbreaking discoveries surrounding the structure of the cannabis compounds CBD and THC in 1963 and 1964, followed by clinical tests with CBD published in 1980.




In a 2018 British Journal of Pharmacology study, Mechoulam and his co-authors wrote that their synthetic compound, cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) methyl ester (HU-580) could be more effective than existing CBD remedies, making it “a potential medicine for treating some nausea and anxiety disorders.” Those initial clinical tests found the acids have yielded results on par, and even exceeding, existing treatments, without the side effects.

The naturally occurring but unstable CBD acid (CBDA) is a thousand times more potent than CBD in binding to a particular serotonin receptor thought to be responsible for alleviating nausea and anxiety.

“It’s an interesting molecule that potentially doesn’t have side effects,” said Dan Peer, managing director of the Center for Translational Medicine and head of the Cancer Biology Research Center at Tel Aviv University.

"Israeli Researchers Find Cannabis Therapy Reduces Fibromyalgia Pain"

Cannabis could be a treatment option for fibromyalgia,  one of the most common chronic pain conditions in the world, according to a new Israeli study. 

Characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aching, fatigue, poor sleep quality, and cognitive difficulties, fibromyalgia has no specific causes and no known cure, but  a prospective observational study, “Safety and Efficacy of Medical Cannabis in Fibromyalgia,” has given fibromyalgia patients some hope. The researchers found significant improvement in pain intensity and fibromyalgia‐related symptoms among patients after six months of medical cannabis therapy.

“It's commonly accepted that chronic pain can be treated with cannabis, but there has been less evidence to support the role it plays in specifically treating fibromyalgia,” said Lihi Bar-Lev Schleider, one of the lead authors on the study and head research scientist at the Tikun Olam research department in Tel Aviv, Israel, where it was conducted.

“Our data indicates that medical cannabis could be a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of fibromyalgia, especially for those who failed on standard pharmacological therapies. We show that medical cannabis is effective and safe when titrated slowly and gradually,” concluded the study, published in June 2019 in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. 

Raphael Mechoulam on Medical Cannabis “Why Did We Have to Wait 35 Years?”

Decades before legislators in Colorado or California even began to consider medical marijuana, Raphael Mechoulam was investigating the biochemistry and pharmacology of cannabis-derived compounds, and urging the global medical community to shed their preconceptions about this plant, and to take it seriously as a source of safe and effective medicines.

In the early 1960s, Raphael Melcoulam & his team became the first who isolate, characterize, and synthesize THC,one of the main psychoactive compounds produced by cannabis.

His subsequent work included the discovery of endogenously produced cannabinoids and the characterization of the endocannabinoid receptor system within the human central nervous system and peripheral tissues.

Dr. Mechoulam is currently a professor of medicinal chemistry and natural products at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His total synthesis of THC, as well as other cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD), is the cornerstone of the burgeoning medical-cannabis industry. Furthermore, his major contributions in the field of organic chemistry and the interaction of human and plant biology have led to the discovery of cannabinoid receptors in the human brain and the endocannabinoid system in the human body.

Dr. Mechoulam was kind enough to give his time for an exclusive interview with Holistic Primary Care’s cannabis correspondent, Laura Lagano.

Lagano, an integrative clinical nutritionist and co-founder of the Holistic Cannabis Academy, got Mechoulam to share his views on the current state of medical cannabis research and the appropriate clinical applications of cannabis-derived compounds.

Here are excerpts from their conversation:

Study Confirms CBD May Have Antipsychotic Effect in High-Risk Individuals

Cannabis extract helps reset brain function in psychosis. In a 2018
Researcher from King’s College London found that a single dose of the cannabis extract cannabidiol can help reduce brain function abnormalities seen in people with psychosis. 

Results from a new MRC-funded trial, published in JAMA Psychiatry, provide the first evidence of how cannabidiol acts in the brain to reduce psychotic symptoms.

Cannabidiol, also referred to as CBD, is a non-intoxicating compound found in cannabis. A purified form of cannabidiol has recently been licensed in the USA as a treatment for rare childhood epilepsies, and a 2017 King’s College London trial has demonstrated cannabidiol has anti-psychotic properties. However, exactly how cannabidiol may work in the brain to alleviate psychosis has remained a mystery.

“The mainstay of current treatment for people with psychosis are drugs that were first discovered in the 1950s and unfortunately do not work for everyone,” says Dr. Sagnik Bhattacharyya, from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN). “Our results have started unravelling the brain mechanisms of a new drug that works in a completely different way to traditional anti-psychotics.”

"Can CBD help With Neuroinflammation"

Neuroinflammation is an inflammatory condition of the brain, in which glial cells,namely,astrocytes 
and microglia,the resident macrophages of the brain, are involved along with blood-borne cells. 

Although in the past glial activation in neuroinflammation has been considered detrimental to the brain in general, currently the reparative/ protective aspects are being recognized. 

Cannabinoids, whether plant derived or endogenous  affect different glial functions. 

Importantly, glial cells are endowed with several, if not all, of the elements of the endocannabinoid system, and therefore are sensitive to cannabinoids and at the same time are a source of endocannabinoids. 

There appears to be general agreement that cannabinoids reduce the synthesis, production, and release of cytotoxic molecules such as proinflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide. 

On the other hand, these agents modify microglial cell migration in such a way that the result is usually beneficial in resolving neuroinflammation or limiting ensuing neurodegeneration.