17/10/2007 00:00:00
Chronic Pain Intensity Cut Nearly in Half with Oral THC
---
News from the International Association for Cannabis Medicine 2007
Conference in Cologne
Chronic Pain Intensity Cut Nearly in Half with Oral THC
BBSNews 2007-10-16 -- (IACM) On 5-6 October the IACM held its 4th
Conference on Cannabinoids in Medicine. Here are some excerpts from
presentations.
British researchers evaluated the long-term tolerance and efficacy of a
cannabis extract (Sativex) in patients suffering from rheumatoid
arthritis. 38 out of 53 eligible subjects entered the long-term study.
70 per cent of patients completed more than three months treatment, and
51 per cent more than six. Improvements in pain and sleep quality
similar in magnitude to those noted in the acute study were recorded,
and there was no evidence of tolerance to these beneficial effects or
escalation of Sativex dosage over time. (Abstract by Robson et al.)
Canadian researchers conducted a pilot study comparing four potencies of
herbal cannabis (0, 2.5, 6 and 9.5 per cent THC) in patients with
neuropathic pain. 23 patients with chronic neuropathic pain due to
trauma or surgery who were not current cannabis users received the four
potencies in four five-day periods separated by nine-day periods.
Researchers concluded that smoking 25mg (one puff) of 9.5 per cent THC
herbal cannabis three times daily for five days has a modest analgesic
effect on chronic neuropathic pain and improves sleep. The drug was
well-tolerated. (Abstract by Ware et al.)
Spanish researchers showed that cannabinoids prevent the development of
peripheral neuropathy and alterations in gastrointestinal transit
induced by chronic chemotherapy in the rat. The chemotherapeutic agent
cisplatin induced a delay in weight gain and neuropathy and a delay in
intestinal transit. When a synthetic cannabinoid was administered
together with cisplatin, both neuropathy and delay in intestinal transit
were prevented. (Abstract by Abalo et al.)
Israeli researchers presented evidence that endocannabinoid and/or CB1
receptor insufficiency underlies infant failure-to-thrive in mouse
models. They concluded that cannabinoid-based treatment should be
considered to improve food intake and weight gain in infants with
failure-to-thrive or with growth failure.
German researchers presented retrospective data on the effects of oral
dronabinol (THC) in 124 patients with chronic pain. Mean pain intensity
before treatment was 7.6 and was reduced to 4.2 during treatment with
dronabinol. Researchers concluded that treatment of severely ill pain
patients with dronabinol in advanced stages of chronicity proved to be
highly effective and well tolerated. (Abstract by Konrad et al.)
Source: Abstract book available for download on the IACM website.
http://www.cannabis-med.org/meeting/cologne2007/reader.pdf
http://bbsnews.net/article.php/20071016142422996
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=12915
Author:
BBS News via UKCIA
|