“Over the years, scientific researches have validated the healing benefits of many psychopharmacotherapeutic plant-based drugs to ameliorate psychiatric disorders. In contrast, the use of chemical procedures to isolate and purify specific compounds from plants that have been used to treat autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and its clinical features may contribute to improve the quality of life of many patients. Also, herbal pharmacological treatments could improve the core symptoms of autism with fewer side effects. This review will focus on the uses and actions of phytopharmaceuticals in the behavioral conditions of ASDs. A large number of natural compound-based plant drugs have been tested in murine models of autism and in clinical trials with remarkable success in reversing the core and associated behaviors with autism such as flavonoids, cannabinoids, curcuminoids, piperine, resveratrol, and bacosides. This plant-based drug alternative is safer given that many psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative pathologies do not often respond well to currently prescribed medications or have significant side effects. However, it is noteworthy to consider the need for large clinical trials to determine safety and efficacy. Many results are based on case reports or small size samples, and often the studies are open label. Standardization of procedures (i.e., purity and concentrations) and quality controls are strictly required to ensure the absence of side effects.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30427697 https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/adt.2018.848]]>
Category Archives: Autism
Brief Report: Cannabidiol-Rich Cannabis in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Severe Behavioral Problems-A Retrospective Feasibility Study.
“Anecdotal evidence of successful cannabis treatment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are accumulating but clinical studies are lacking. This retrospective study assessed tolerability and efficacy of cannabidiol-rich cannabis, in 60 children with ASD and severe behavioral problems (age = 11.8 ± 3.5, range 5.0-17.5; 77% low functioning; 83% boys). Efficacy was assessed using the Caregiver Global Impression of Change scale. Adverse events included sleep disturbances (14%) irritability (9%) and loss of appetite (9%). One girl who used higher tetrahydrocannabinol had a transient serious psychotic event which required treatment with an antipsychotic. Following the cannabis treatment, behavioral outbreaks were much improved or very much improved in 61% of patients. This preliminary study supports feasibility of CBD-based cannabis trials in children with ASD.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30382443 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10803-018-3808-2]]>
Cannabidiol as a suggested candidate for treatment of autism spectrum disorder.
“Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by persistent deficits in social communication, restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities and often intellectual disabilities.
No effective treatment for the core symptoms of ASD is currently available.
There is increasing interest in cannabinoids, especially cannabidiol (CBD), as monotherapy or add-on treatment for the core symptoms and co-morbidities of ASD.
In this review we summarize the available pre-clinical and clinical data regarding the safety and effectiveness of medical cannabis, including CBD, in young ASD patients.
Cannabidiol seems to be a candidate for the treatment of ASD.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30171992
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278584618304445?via%3Dihub
Palmitoylethanolamide as adjunctive therapy for autism: Efficacy and safety results from a randomized controlled trial.
“Inflammation as well as glutamate excitotoxicity have been proposed to participate in the propagation of autism. Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is an endocannabinoid proven to prevent glutamatergic toxicity and inhibit inflammatory responses simultaneously.
The present randomized, parallel group, double-blind placebo-controlled trial is the first study depicted to probe the efficacy of co-treatment with risperidone and PEA over 10 weeks in children with autism.
Seventy children (aged 4-12 years) with autism and moderate to severe symptoms of irritability were randomly assigned to two treatment regimens. The study outcomes were measured using the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community Edition (ABC-C). At trial endpoint (week 10), combination of PEA and risperidone had superior efficacy in ameliorating the ABC-irritability and hyperactivity/noncompliance symptoms (Cohen’s d, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.94, 0.41 to 1.46, p = 0.001) compared with a risperidone plus placebo regimen. Interestingly, effect of combination treatment on hyperactivity symptoms was also observed at trial midpoint (week 5) but with a smaller effect size (d = 0.53, p = 0.04) than that at the endpoint (d = 0.94, p = 0.001). Meanwhile, there was a trend toward significance for superior effect of risperidone plus PEA over risperidone plus placebo on inappropriate speech at trial endpoint (d = 0.51, p = 0.051). No significant differences existed between the two treatment groups for the other two ABC-C subscales (lethargy/social withdrawal and stereotypic behavior).
The findings suggest that PEA may augment therapeutic effects of risperidone on autism-related irritability and hyperactivity. Future studies are warranted to investigate whether PEA can serve as a stand-alone treatment for autism.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29807317
https://www.journalofpsychiatricresearch.com/article/S0022-3956(17)31405-X/fulltext
“Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by restricted, stereotyped behaviors and impairments in social communication.
Although the underlying biological mechanisms of ASD remain poorly understood, recent preclinical research has implicated the endogenous 
“Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) defines a group of neurodevelopmental disorders whose symptoms include impaired communication and social interaction with restricted or repetitive motor movements, frequently associated with general cognitive deficits. Although it is among the most severe chronic childhood disorders in terms of prevalence, morbidity, and impact to the society, no effective treatment for ASD is yet available, possibly because its neurobiological basis is not clearly understood hence specific drugs have not yet been developed. The endocannabinoid (EC) system represents a major neuromodulatory system involved in the regulation of emotional responses, behavioral reactivity to context, and social interaction. Furthermore, the EC system is also affected in conditions often present in subsets of patients diagnosed with ASD, such as seizures, anxiety, intellectual disabilities, and sleep pattern disturbances. Despite the indirect evidence suggestive of an involvement of the EC system in ASD, only a few studies have specifically addressed the role of the EC system in the context of ASD. This review describes the available data on the investigation of the presence of alterations of the EC system as well as the effects of its pharmacological manipulations in animal models of ASD-like behaviors.”