Cannabidiol for Treatment of Childhood Epilepsy-A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Posted on September 28, 2018 by David

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“The interest in cannabidiol (CBD) for treatment of epilepsy has been increasing over the last years. However, practitioner’s attitudes concerning the use of CBD for epilepsy treatment appears to be divided and data about its clinical use in daily practice are not available.

Objective: To improve the knowledge about the current use of CBD amongst European practitioners treating children and adolescents for epilepsy.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey using an open-access online questionnaire for physicians treating children or adolescents for epilepsy within eight European countries from December 2017 to March 2018.

Results: One-hundred fifty-five physicians participated in the survey. CBD is increasingly used by 45% (69/155) of participants, treating a mean (range) number of 3 (1-35) with CBD. Only 48% of the participants prescribing CBD are exclusively using purified CBD to treat children and adolescents with epilepsy, the remainder also applies preparations containing delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Reported daily CBD doses range from < 10 to 50 mg/kg body weight. Management of CBD therapy in regard of monitoring side effects and adjusting concomitant therapy differs widely amongst participants. Their primary objective for commencing CBD is improving patient’s quality of life. Participants frequently receive inquiries about CBD treatment but only 40% may actively suggest CBD as a treatment option. Of the 85 participants currently not using CBD for epilepsy treatment, 70% would consider using CBD if available in their country of practice or given the opportunity to become familiar with this treatment option.

Conclusions: CBD is increasingly used by participating physicians but individual experience remains limited. There are very diverse opinions about the use of CBD to treat epilepsy in children and adolescents and widely differing views on how to manage the CBD treatment.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30258395

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2018.00731/full

Cannabidiol treatment reduces the motivation to self-administer methamphetamine and methamphetamine-primed relapse in rats.

Posted on September 28, 2018 by David

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“Methamphetamine is an addictive stimulant that can cause many adverse physical, psychological and psychosocial effects.

Preliminary evidence shows cannabidiol, a non-intoxicating constituent of the cannabis plant, may have efficacy in treating opioid and nicotine dependence. However, no study has yet examined whether cannabidiol treatment might impact on methamphetamine addiction.

AIMS:

The current study investigated whether cannabidiol administration reduces the motivation to self-administer methamphetamine and relapse to methamphetamine-seeking behavior following abstinence.

RESULTS:

Cannabidiol (80 mg/kg, but not 40 mg/kg, or 20 mg/kg) reduced the motivation to self-administer methamphetamine and attenuated methamphetamine-primed relapse to methamphetamine-seeking behavior after extinction.

CONCLUSION:

This is the first demonstration that cannabidiol can reduce the motivation to seek and consume methamphetamine, and suggests that cannabidiol might be worth trialing as a novel pharmacotherapy for methamphetamine dependence.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30260267

http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0269881118799954?journalCode=jopa

Unique treatment potential of cannabidiol for the prevention of relapse to drug use: preclinical proof of principle.

Posted on September 27, 2018 by David

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“Cannabidiol (CBD), the major non-psychoactive constituent of Cannabis sativa, has received attention for therapeutic potential in treating neurologic and psychiatric disorders. Recently, CBD has also been explored for potential in treating drug addiction.

Substance use disorders are chronically relapsing conditions and relapse risk persists for multiple reasons including craving induced by drug contexts, susceptibility to stress, elevated anxiety, and impaired impulse control.

Here, we evaluated the “anti-relapse” potential of a transdermal CBD preparation in animal models of drug seeking, anxiety and impulsivity.

The results provide proof of principle supporting potential of CBD in relapse prevention along two dimensions: beneficial actions across several vulnerability states and long-lasting effects with only brief treatment.

The findings also inform the ongoing medical marijuana debate concerning medical benefits of non-psychoactive cannabinoids and their promise for development and use as therapeutics.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29686308

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-018-0050-8

“Unique treatment potential of cannabidiol for the prevention of relapse to drug use” https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-018-0218-2

Association of Cannabinoid Administration With Experimental Pain in Healthy Adults A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Posted on September 25, 2018 by David

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“Patients have reliably endorsed the belief that cannabis is helpful in alleviating pain.

Cannabinoids (the collective term for all of the drugs examined in this study, including plant-based cannabis, which can contain multiple compounds) have long been considered effective for reducing pain and are frequently proposed as treatment options in pain management.

Cannabinoid drugs may prevent the onset of pain by producing small increases in pain thresholds but may not reduce the intensity of experimental pain already being experienced; instead, cannabinoids may make experimental pain feel less unpleasant and more tolerable, suggesting an influence on affective processes.

Cannabis-induced improvements in pain-related negative affect may underlie the widely held belief that cannabis relieves pain.”

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2701671

“Cannabinoid drugs make pain feel ‘less unpleasant, more tolerable'” https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180919111454.htm

“Medical marijuana increases pain threshold for patients” https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2018/09/19/Medical-marijuana-increases-pain-threshold-for-patients/1771537292969/?rc_fifo=1

“Study reveals cannabinoid drugs make pain feel ‘less unpleasant, more tolerable'” https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-09-reveals-cannabinoid-drugs-pain-unpleasant.html

“Cannabinoid drugs reduce perceived unpleasantness of painful stimuli and increase tolerance” https://www.news-medical.net/news/20180919/Cannabinoid-drugs-reduce-perceived-unpleasantness-of-painful-stimuli-and-increase-tolerance.aspx

“Cannabinoids appear to increase pain tolerability” https://www.healio.com/psychiatry/practice-management/news/online/%7B7626bb3f-ce35-4968-99bc-50ecdaac79b7%7D/cannabinoids-appear-to-increase-pain-tolerability

At 70, Singer Olivia Newton-John Using Cannabis To Treat Cancer.

Posted on September 25, 2018 by David

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“At 70, Singer Olivia Newton-John Using Cannabis To Treat Cancer. Olivia Newton-John says she has been diagnosed with cancer for the third time in three decades. Newton-John says she’s “treating it naturally and doing really well.” The “Grease” star says she is taking cannabis oil, made from marijuana her husband John Easterling grows on their ranch in Santa Barbara. She said, “I believe I will win over it.”” https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2018/09/10/olivia-newton-john-cannabis-cancer/

“Grease star Olivia Newton-John is battling her breast cancer with cannabis. Grease star Olivia Newton-John is offering an update on her third battle with cancer and revealing how cannabis has become a key component in her treatment plan.” http://www.digitalspy.com/showbiz/news/a865881/grease-olivia-newton-john-battling-breast-cancer-with-cannabis/

“Olivia Newton-John Says She’s Managing Breast Cancer with Cannabis. Newton-John explained that she uses cannabis oil to treat the pain and help her sleep, much of which her husband John Easterling (who runs Amazon Herb Company) grows for her. “I’m very lucky that I live in a state where it’s legal and that I have a husband who is a plant medicine man,” she said. “How lucky is that?” Newton-John also advocated for legalizing cannabis in her home country of Australia, adding, “My dream is that it will be available to all the cancer patients or people going through cancer or any kind of disease that causes pain.” Newton-John turns 70 on September 26.” http://exclaim.ca/music/article/olivia_newton-john_says_shes_managing_breast_cancer_with_cannabis

“Olivia Newton-John diagnosed with cancer for a third time but believes she ‘will win’ health battle with homegrown cannabis treatment. The Grease actress is using homegrown cannabis as part of her treatment to fight the disease. She drinks a cannabis mixture made by her herbalist husband to control the illness.” https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/olivia-newton-john-diagnosed-cancer-13220595

“Olivia Newton-John uses medical marijuana to treat cancer” https://www.buzz.ie/celebs/olivia-newton-john-drinks-cannabis-extract-numb-pain-cancer-253796

“Olivia Newton-John reveals marijuana helping her beat cancer” http://www.9news.com.au/national/2017/09/03/08/58/olivia-newton-john-backs-medicinal-cannabis

“Olivia Newton-John’s cancer battle is going well… Thanks to cannabis oil!” https://closeronline.co.uk/celebrity/news/olivia-newton-john-daughter-chloe-lattanzi-cannabis-oil-cancer/

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“Olivia Newton-John ‘Feeling Great’ as Source Denies ‘False’ Report Her Cancer Has Spread Further. “This is just false,” a source close to Newton-John tells PEOPLE. “She’s feeling and looking great. Everything that’s being reported about her diagnosis is the same news she released last year.” https://people.com/music/olivia-newton-john-denies-false-report-cancer-spread/

“Olivia Newton-John Reveals Secret Cancer Battle in 2013: ‘I Just Decided to Keep It to Myself.” Last year, Newton-John announced she’d been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer that had metastasized to her back, but the 69-year-old actress has been treating the illness with natural wellness therapies, including medicinal marijuana. A source close to Newton-John tells PEOPLE that she’s been feeling fine and healthy as of late.” https://people.com/music/olivia-newton-john-secret-cancer-battle-decided-keep-myself/

“Olivia Newton-John: It’s not just cancer sufferers needing help, carers do too. The mum-of-one discovered she had a tumour in the base of her spine last year. She had previously overcome breast cancer in 1992 after undergoing surgery and chemo, before secretly beating the disease again in 2013. Praising both husband John and her daughter Chloe, Olivia said: “Of course they’ve been a huge support, I think it’s hard for people on the outside – the care takers – because they have to be taken care of too sometimes, because it is hard for them.” John grows cannabis plants for Olivia, as she has chosen natural therapies such as cannabis oil to help ease her pain from the disease, instead of opioids and other drugs such as chemo this time round. He grows the plants in California where the couple live, as it is legal there.” https://startsat60.com/entertainment/tv-movies/olivia-newton-john-cancer-sufferers-carers-husband-john-help

“‘I use cannabis’: Olivia Newton-John talks cancer treatment” https://startsat60.com/health/i-use-cannabis-olivia-newton-john-opens-up-on-cancer-treatment

“Olivia Newton John’s cannabis oil for cancer treatment” https://www.msn.com/en-nz/health/medical/olivia-newton-johns-cannabis-oil-for-cancer-treatment/ar-AAoTvE3

“‘I believe I will win’: Olivia Newton-John, 69, reveals the tragic cancer diagnosis she kept secret… as she fights the disease for a third time with the help of her husband” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-6148177/Olivia-Newton-John-69-reveals-tragic-cancer-diagnosis-kept-secret.html

“Olivia’s husband grows her medical marijuana” https://au.be.yahoo.com/entertainment/celebrity/a/37038356/john-easterling-home-grows-olivia-newton-johns-medical-marijuana/

“Olivia Newton-John Admits to Using Home-Grown Medical Marijuana to Battle Cancer” http://popculture.com/2017/09/11/olivia-newton-john-medical-marijuana-breast-cancer/

“Olivia Newton-John Reveals She Was Unable to Walk After Cancer Relapse – and She’s Using Marijuana to Ease Pain. The 68-year-old said that the “hardest thing” has been her pain level, admitting that trying to do shows was “really agonizing.” Now, she’s been treating the pain with medical marijuana her husband John Easterling grows. “I’ll be fine,” said Newton-John.” https://people.com/music/olivia-newton-john-cancer-update-couldnt-walk-australian-60-minutes/

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“Olivia Newton-John on Being a Cancer ‘Thriver’ and Using Weed to Cope with Her Relapse: It’s a ‘Healing Plant’. The actress also shared that she’s been treating the pain with medical marijuana her husband John Easterling grows. “People have this vision from the ’60s of people just sitting around and getting stoned,” she said. “It’s not about that. This plant is a healing plant. I think we need to change the vision of what it is because it helped me greatly and it helps with pain and inflammation.”” https://people.com/music/olivia-newton-john-cancer-relapse-weed/

“Olivia Newton-John reveals she is on medical cannabis for cancer” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6171365/Olivia-Newton-John-reveals-medical-cannabis-breast-cancer.html

“‘It’s a magical miracle plant:’ Olivia Newton-John reveals husband John Easterling grows marijuana to aid her breast cancer battle” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4869940/Olivia-Newton-John-benefits-medical-marijuana.html

“‘It’s really important and should be available’: Olivia Newton-John speaks about how ‘medical cannabis’ is helping her beat breast cancer” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4846664/Olivia-Newton-John-talks-cannabis-use-time.html

“Olivia Newton-John voices her support for medical marijuana after revealing her husband grows the plant to aid her breast cancer battle” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4891760/Olivia-Newton-John-voices-support-medical-marijuana.html

“Let’s Get Physical! Olivia Newton-John beams in green as she dazzles Melbourne crowds at charity walk to raise funds for her cancer research centre… after speaking candidly about her attempts to ‘win over’ the disease” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-6172857/Olivia-Newton-John-beams-green-dazzles-crowds-cancer-research-charity-walk.html

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“‘Medical cannabis has helped me a lot’: Olivia Newton-John speaks candidly about the ‘healing remedies’ that have helped CURE her pain during her agonising cancer battle” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-5181401/Olivia-Newton-John-speaks-candidly-medical-cannabis.html

“Olivia Newton-John using cannabis oil as she battles cancer for the third time” https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/health-and-fitness/2018091162192/olivia-newton-john-using-cannabis-oil-battles-cancer-third-time/

“Olivia Newton-John Says She’s Winning Her Third Cancer Battle And Feels Great” https://www.closerweekly.com/posts/olivia-newton-john-says-shes-winning-her-third-cancer-battle-and-feels-great

“‘I’m Doing Great’” https://www.wral.com/olivia-newton-john-clears-up-rumors-about-her-health-i-m-doing-great-/18105009/

“Olivia leads the biggest ever Wellness Walk and Research Run!” https://www.onjcancercentre.org/news/article/2018/09/18/biggest-ever-wellness-walk-and-research-run

“Well over half a million dollars has been raised so far and while the event itself is over for this year, fundraising is still open until the 30 September. You can continue to support family and friends by donating to their page, or you can donate to Olivia’s page here: https://secure.artezpacific.com/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?registrationID=1213890&langPref=en-CA

“The Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre is at the frontier of cancer medicine, with over 200 ongoing clinical trials.” https://www.onjcancercentre.org/patients-family/clinical-trials

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http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/olivia-newton-john-champions-the-use-of-magical-miracle-medicinal-cannabis/

A review of the effects of baclofen and of THC:CBD oromucosal spray on spasticity-related walking impairment in multiple sclerosis.

Posted on September 23, 2018 by David

Publication Cover

“Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex disease with a heterogeneous and unpredictable clinical course. Mobility impairment after progressive paralyses and muscle tone spasticity is common.

Areas covered: The prevalence, assessment, and pharmacological management of gait impairment and spasticity in MS and their effects on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are discussed.

The roles of oral and intrathecal baclofen and of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol/cannabidiol (THC:CBD) oromucosal spray in treating MS spasticity-related gait impairment are reviewed.

Expert commentary: Mobility impairment and spasticity are experienced by approximately 90% and 80% of MS patients, respectively, during the disease course. Prevalence and severity of gait impairment and spasticity increase as disease progresses. The symptoms are related and both impact negatively on HRQoL.

Oral baclofen and tizanidine are generally used for first-line treatment of MS spasticity but are ineffective in approximately 40% of cases.

Second-line therapy includes add-on THC:CBD spray for patients with resistant MS spasticity. Results of studies evaluating baclofen for treating MS spasticity gait impairment are equivocal.

In studies of patients with resistant MS spasticity, THC:CBD spray consistently improved the timed 10-meter walk test and significantly improved multiple spatial-temporal and kinematic gait parameters.

THC:CBD oromucosal spray warrants further investigation as a treatment for MS spasticity-related gait impairment.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30235965

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14737175.2018.1510772?journalCode=iern20

Combined CB2 Receptor Agonist and Photodynamic Therapy Synergistically Inhibit Tumor Growth in Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

Posted on September 23, 2018 by David

Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy

“Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the deadliest form of breast cancer because compared with other types of breast cancer, it is more aggressive, diagnosed at later stage and more likely to develop recurrence.

Many patients do not experience adequate tumor control after current clinical treatments involving surgical removal, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, leading to disease progression and significantly decreased quality of life.

Here we report a new combinatory therapy strategy involving cannabinoid-based medicine and photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of TNBC.

This combinatory therapy targets two proteins upregulated in TNBC: the cannabinoid CB2 receptor (CB₂R, a G-protein coupled receptor) and translocator protein (TSPO, a mitochondria membrane receptor). We found that the combined CB₂R agonist and TSPO-PDT treatment resulted in synergistic inhibition in TNBC cell and tumor growth.

This combinatory therapy approach provides new opportunities to treat TNBC with high efficacy. In addition, this study provides new evidence on the therapeutic potential of CB₂R agonists for cancer.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30240926

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1572100018301571?via%3Dihub

Care After Chemotherapy: Peripheral Neuropathy, Cannabis for Symptom Control, and Mindfulness.

Posted on September 21, 2018 by David

ASCO Educational Book

“As cancer therapies improve, patients are living longer. With these improvements in therapy comes a responsibility to optimize patients’ quality of life during cancer therapy and beyond. This report reviews three timely and important topics.

The first section reviews the mechanism underlying chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and evaluates the evidence for interventions to prevent and treat peripheral neuropathy. It also provides a framework for approaching the diagnosis and management of this common and bothersome side effect.

The second section addresses the controversial but effective use of cannabinoids for cancer and chemotherapy symptoms. Although clinical trials are difficult to conduct because of the political and social stigma of this class of drugs, this review provides evidence of the efficacy of cannabinoids for treatment of pain and nausea.

The last section addresses the mind-body connection, with a focus on the negative emotions patients with cancer often experience. This section assesses the literature regarding mindfulness-based programs to improve cancer-related stress. These three topics may appear unrelated, but all address one common goal: treating the body and the mind to optimize quality of life during and after cancer therapy.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30231411

“Although commercially available dronabinol is not superior to other antiemetics and oromucosal nabiximols is not very effective for treating cancer pain, cannabis has been shown to be effective for treating pain and may help patients reduce opioid intake.”

http://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/EDBK_209437

Cannabinoids and spinal cord stimulation for the treatment of failed back surgery syndrome refractory pain

Posted on September 19, 2018 by David

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“This study aimed to evaluate pain and its symptoms in patients with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) refractory to other therapies, treated with a combination of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), in association with spinal cord stimulation (SCS).

Results: Effective pain management as compared to baseline result was achieved in all the cases studied. The positive effect of cannabinoid agonists on refractory pain was maintained during the entire duration of treatment with minimal dosage titration. Pain perception, evaluated through numeric rating scale, decreased from a baseline mean value of 8.18±1.07–4.72±0.9 by the end of the study duration (12 months) (P<0.001).

Conclusion: The results indicate that cannabinoid agonists (THC/CBD) can have remarkable analgesic capabilities, as adjuvant of SCS, for the treatment of chronic refractory pain of FBSS patients.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30233233

https://www.dovepress.com/cannabinoids-and-spinal-cord-stimulation-for-the-treatment-of-failed-b-peer-reviewed-article-JPR

“Outcomes indicate remarkable analgesic capabilities of cannabinoid agonists (THC/CBD) as an adjuvant to SCS for treating chronic refractory pain in FBSS patients, since all the cases studied achieved effective pain management compared to baseline.”

https://www.mdlinx.com/journal-summaries/cannabinoids-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-thc-cannabidiol/2018/09/13/7544234/

Emerging Evidence for Cannabis’ Role in Opioid Use Disorder.

Posted on September 18, 2018 by David

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research cover image “The opioid epidemic has become an immense problem in North America, and despite decades of research on the most effective means to treat opioid use disorder (OUD), overdose deaths are at an all-time high, and relapse remains pervasive.

Although there are a number of FDA-approved opioid replacement therapies and maintenance medications to help ease the severity of opioid withdrawal symptoms and aid in relapse prevention, these medications are not risk free nor are they successful for all patients. Furthermore, there are legal and logistical bottlenecks to obtaining traditional opioid replacement therapies such as methadone or buprenorphine, and the demand for these services far outweighs the supply and access.

To fill the gap between efficacious OUD treatments and the widespread prevalence of misuse, relapse, and overdose, the development of novel, alternative, or adjunct OUD treatment therapies is highly warranted. In this article, we review emerging evidence that suggests that cannabis may play a role in ameliorating the impact of OUD. Herein, we highlight knowledge gaps and discuss cannabis’ potential to prevent opioid misuse (as an analgesic alternative), alleviate opioid withdrawal symptoms, and decrease the likelihood of relapse.

Conclusion: The compelling nature of these data and the relative safety profile of cannabis warrant further exploration of cannabis as an adjunct or alternative treatment for OUD.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30221197

https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/can.2018.0022

www.thctotalhealthcare.com

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