Not only has cannabis been proven to be effective in treating epilepsy, but recent studies show it can also help boost the effects of standard epilepsy medications
Aside from epilepsy medication, cannabis can also increase the effectiveness of a variety of other medications such as blood pressure treatments, pain relief pills, and medications used by cancer patients. Because cannabis can interfere with the liver’s cytochrome p450 enzyme system, which is the body’s method of processing chemicals, certain drugs can show increased levels in the blood and heightened effects when paired with cannabis.
The Research
In a recent study published in the Official Journal of the International League Against Epilepsy, 81 people were given doses of CBD and studied, with positive results. “In 39 adults and 42 children, CBD dose was started at 5 mg/kg/day and increased every 2 weeks by 5 mg/kg/day up to a maximum of 50 mg/kg/day,” the article noted. “Serum AED levels were obtained at baseline prior to CBD initiation and at most study visits.”
This procedure was used to determine if there was any change in the AED serum levels following increasing doses of CBD. The study went on to mention “subanalyses were performed to determine if the frequency of sedation in participants was related to the mean serum N-desmethylclobazam level, and if aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were different in participants taking concomitant valproate.”
The Results
The research shows that the interactions between cannabidiol and common anti-epilepsy drugs can be quite significant. “Increases in topiramate, rufinamide, and N-desmethylclobazam and decrease in clobazam (all p < 0.01) serum levels were seen with increasing CBD dose. Increases in serum levels of zonisamide (p = 0.02) and eslicarbazepine (p = 0.04) with increasing CBD dose were seen in adults. Except for clobazam and desmethylclobazam, all noted mean level changes were within the accepted therapeutic range. Sedation was more frequent with higher N-desmethylclobazam levels in adults (p = 0.02), and AST/ALT levels were significantly higher in participants taking concomitant valproate (p < 0.01).”
More research needs to be done to determine how many other conditions this could be beneficial for, but it could eventually lead to many patients using minimal amounts of prescription drugs and simply boosting the effects with an all-natural cannabis supplement. A truly safer way to medicate.
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