CBD For Epilepsy

CBD or Cannabidiol is one of the primary content of Marijuana. A surprising fact is that this component is found as a non intoxicant. A component extracted from a major intoxicant is a non intoxicant! Isn’t this fact curious? CBD seems to be a cannabinoid with more fascinating features.

It is only recently that Cannabidiol surfaced in the market as a treatment for many diseases. The public health scientist fraternities have already found the usage of this cannabinoid for greater purposes. Can you believe that CBD can be used to cure epilepsy? Epidiolox containing purified CBD is a drug which got approved by the Food and Drugs administration (FDA) of the U.S government to treat epilepsy.

Types Of Epilepsy Treated By CBD

Dravet Epilepsy and Lennox-Gastaut epilepsy are the two types of seizure syndromes which could be treated with Epidiolex. The former which occurs in children from the age of one as seizures with fevers later gets developed to more complicated forms of seizures. The children grow up with less motor skills, language skills and difficulty in carrying out daily activities in life.

The second kind of seizure known as Lennox – Gastaut epilepsy seems to occur in children between 3 to 5 years of age.  Even though this occurs at a later stage than the former syndrome, this is also a seizure which makes the daily life of the patient unbearable. Seventy five percent of the total affected patients are found to have uncontrollable muscle contractions. The motor skills and learning skills of those children are found to be out of control.

According to Billy Dunn, the Director of the neurology department of the FDAs center for drug evaluation and research, these seizures accompanying the epilepsy disorders is indeed affecting the quality of life of the patient. At this point a cure which is effective at its best is an immediate necessity. This necessity is filled by Epidiolox the drug which is obtained from cannabis.

Safety Assurance Of CBD For Epilepsy

The fact that a drug which is categorized as a schedule I drug by the federal law of the US is now aiding to cure a disease which causes fatal injuries has got its attention. The FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb who invited the scientist for sound research on marijuana to reveal the medical prospectus of this drug seems to invoke enthusiastic medical scholars who have grave desires to astound the medical world. This could also lead to illegal ways using CBD to make medicines which have better effects with underlying severe side effects on these patients. In that case, a drug that gets approved after careful examination by the FDA can be prescribed and used with enough confidence.

FDA makes sure that the drug is safe and effective through uniform procedures. Also, illegal usage and false claims are monitored and taken action by the Food and Drug Administration. In the case of Epidiolox, various trials have been conducted under controlled clinical conditions on 516 patients with one of the two above mentioned illnesses. While the federal law still considers cannabis as a schedule I drug the CBD which is derived from marijuana is officially declared and approved by the FDA as effective and safe.

Side Effects And Risks

Along with the excitement of medicine to cure epilepsy which is derived from marijuana, it has to be kept in mind that this medicine is not devoid of side effects. The patients who have been studied under trials have been found with sleepiness, diarrhea, low appetite, an increase in liver enzymes, fatigue, malaise, and sedation. As of this, the FDA strongly instructs to supply patient medication guides along with the medicine to let the users be aware of its use and side effects.