Cannabidiol for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: Early Evidence of Anticonvulsant Efficacy
This review examines pilot clinical data supporting cannabidiol as a treatment for refractory epilepsy, noting promising seizure reduction in early trials while awaiting confirmation from placebo-controlled studies. The mechanisms of CBD's anticonvulsant activity remain unclear, limiting biomarker-guided dosing strategies. The paper is relevant to laboratories developing therapeutic drug monitoring assays for cannabinoid-based therapies.
The original study
The Utility of Cannabidiol in the Treatment of Refractory Epilepsy.
- Authors
- Reddy DS
- Journal
- Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
- Type
- Journal Article, Review
- PMID
- 27506704
Original abstract
Cannabis-derived cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD) have anticonvulsant properties. Recently, there has been an emerging interest in the use of CBD-enriched products for treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy. Some pilot trials of CBD have proved beneficial for refractory epilepsy, but its efficacy is yet to be confirmed by standard placebo-controlled trials. However, the mechanisms underlying the seizure protection efficacy claims of CBD remain unclear. This review briefly describes the clinical utility of CBD in the treatment of refractory epilepsy.