“But what has generated the renewed interest and excitement are the anecdotal reports that some children with otherwise untreatable severe epilepsies respond well to CBD extracts and oils (please see Porter & Jacobson 2013; Hussain et al. 2015).”
Read full article on Huffington Post…
CBD is one of the main therapeutic agents that help treat one of the many symptoms/ diseases, like epilepsy, that are traditionally harder to treat with any current medicines. The other symptoms/ diseases also includes rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, PTSD, schizophrenia, neuropathic pain, seizures, convulsions and the list goes on.
In previous blogs we talked about some benefits of cannabis (find previous blogs cannabis green juice, cannabis-brain, cannabis-sleep), we briefly mentioned about chemicals in cannabis such as cannabidiol or CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. In truth, most of the medicinal value we find in cannabis is greatly related to CBD.
CBD is non-addictive and has great neuro-regulating properties. It can bind to our receptors (such as some G-protein receptors in the central and peripheral nervous systems (CNS/ PNS), 5-HT serotonin receptors and adenosine receptors) on cells of our body to instruct it to carry out different tasks. Anti-inflammatory, spasticity and epilepsy reduction, neuropathic pain-relieving, anti-depressant and neuro-regulatory functions can all contribute to the CBD medical value. It works also as an antagonist to THC’s exhibitory or anxiety effects on your CNS that helps regulates a lot of unwanted side effects from THC. Although CBD still have some psychoactive effects but it is more a relief type which mainly acts in the body unlike THC.
“Several drug companies have recently developed CBD-based medications, and one of these, called Epidiolex, is now being tested in clinical trials. Epidiolex was developed by GW Pharmaceuticals and has been given to more than 400 children under the FDA’s expanded access (“compassionate use”) program.”
More studies are on the way, including US department National Institute of Health or NIH such as National Cancer Institute, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and National Institute on Drug Abuse are conducting studies to relate possible use and treatment for different disorders because CBD has a great medicinal value.
Unfortunately, CBD rich strains are rare. The reason is because of the cross-breeding for the recreational cannabis which has high THC level and low CBD level. Also, with the reason that cannabis use is still prohibited in some of the states (currently only 23 states legalized medical cannabis). It is very hard for people to obtain quality medicinal CBD. Legalizing medical cannabis would help to open up more funding opportunities for cannabis research. And hopefully in the very near future, we will be able to see more people getting medical relief or even a cure by CBD and medical cannabis.
Photo by Enecta Cannabis extracts on Unsplash