Many patients who do not respond to conventional treatment turn to CBD to control seizures or manage the symptoms of epilepsy. It is best to ask for your doctor’s guidance before taking any medication. Make sure to buy CBD oil with good quality suited to your needs.
CBD oil is a carrier oil combined with the extracted cannabidiol from the cannabis plant, Cannabis Sativa. The plant contains many compounds, including the popular THC and CBD. The carrier oil used for CBD oil can be in the form of olive, coconut, or other ingestible oils. Cannabidiol (CBD) is the non-psychoactive compound from the plant, as opposed to THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) which gives you the desired “high”.
CBD oil has been used for many treatments including the symptoms of seizures and epilepsy. With more open legislation surrounding marijuana in the United States and some countries around the world, there is an increasing number of research and studies conducted for cannabis compound, CBD.
What is hemp?
Hemp is a variety of Cannabis sativa plants. It contains lower THC and higher concentration of CBD. Just recently, the CBD derived from hemp has been excluded from the list of Schedule I Drugs and reclassified as agricultural commodity. If you decide to buy hemp oil online, make sure to get pure hemp products from a trusted and reliable dispensary.
*The Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (H.R. 2) legalizes hemp and hemp-derived CBD. The bill changes the definition of hemp to encompass any plant or product derived from the plant that contain less than 0.3% THC by dry weight and classifies them as exempt from the controlled substance restrictions applied to marijuana. The law further amends the Controlled Substances Act to exempt hemp from Schedule I drugs.
Seizures and Epilepsy
A burst of uncontrolled activity in the brain (between neurons or brain cells) results to seizures. It causes temporary abnormalities in muscle tone which effects to stiffness, twitching or limping. Seizures are not all the same. When the occurrence of seizure is repeating, it is called epilepsy.
Seizures are categorized into two: generalized onset and focal onset. Focal onset seizure begins in one area of the brain. It causes mild or severe symptoms. Generalized onset are seizures that spread simultaneously. It starts from one area until spreading to both sides of the brain. Commonly, seizures are treated with medication, including diet therapy and nerve stimulation.
30% of people with epilepsy have struggles to control their symptoms using traditional medications, which is why many opt to use CBD for relief.
What is Epidiolex (Cannabidiol, CBD)?
Epidiolex is a CBD oral solution used for the treatment of seizure. On June 25, 2018, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of this medication for two epilepsy syndrome – Lennox-Gaustat syndrome and Dravet syndrome. It is the first medication approved by FDA to treat seizures in epilepsy. Epidiolex is a purified CBD extract (98% oil based CBD). It is produced by the U.S based company of GW Pharmaceuticals, Greenwich Biosciences.
A clinical trial was conducted in a group of people using Epidiolex and placebo medication. The clinical trial found:
- 689 people using Epidiolex were treated from Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, 533 people (more than 6 months), and additional 391 (more than 1 year). This is done in controlled and non-controlled trials.
- 16 patients with Dravet syndrome and LGS, and another 109 for more than six months, were treated with Epidiolex in an an expanded access program.
- All patients were taking other seizure medications.
- For people taking the higher dose, the effect of sleepiness, sedation, and lethargy was noted.
- The most common side effects of Epidiolex include: sleepiness, decrease in appetite, diarrhea, fatigue, lack of energy, change in liver function, and for some, infections.
Children and CBD
Children with seizures or epilepsy who do not respond to conventional medications can benefit from CBD. The Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology pointed out that isolated CBD or CBD rich extracts can help control seizures in children with treatment-resistant epilepsy. A study in Epilepsia also noted that CBD can only be the accepted compound from cannabis that can help reduce seizures for children.
How to Use CBD
Dosage is important for CBD oil, so is purity and quality. Placing CBD oil under the tongue or through tincture may be the easiest way to get CBD into the body. Many people choose to use a tincture for pain relief.
Does CBD help seizures?
Although research on CBD has been difficult and taken time because of federal limitations and access to cannabis, many early evidences from laboratory reports and anecdotal studies have suggested that CBD can potentially help control seizures. For epileptic patients specifically, a number of studies have shown that CBD products have been beneficial compared to traditional therapies.
Many patients who do not respond to conventional treatment turn to CBD to control seizures or manage the symptoms of epilepsy. It is best to ask for your doctor’s guidance before taking any medication. Make sure to buy CBD oil with good quality suited to your needs.
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