Cannabis 'could help epileptics'

[Hard Core]

Further evidence has

emerged that an ingredient of cannabis could help prevent epileptic seizures.

Some experts are now calling for fresh research into the potential of cannabis-like compounds to help alleviate the condition.

 

Researchers from Germany found that natural brain chemicals which resemble cannabis extracts can interrupt a process which can trigger a seizure.

 

There have been trials of cannabis compounds in MS and cancer patients.

 

There are reports dating from the 15th century talking about the use of cannabis to ease the symptoms of epilepsy.

 

However, there have been few organised trials in humans in recent years, even though cannabis or its extracts are being evaluated in trials against several other illness types illness.

 

Brain chemicals

 

The researchers, from the Max-Planck Institut in Munich studies mice bred to suffer a key feature of epilepsy in humans.

 

This is "excitotoxicity" - abnormal stimulation of brain cells by an excessive quantity of a chemical called glutamate.

 

In the mutant mice, a substance called kainic acid works in a very similar way, and the researchers used this to find out if cannabinoid chemicals could somehow interrupt the process or protect the brain cells involved.

 

They found, in the mouse brain at least, that key receptors on the surface of the brain cell, which normally respond to contact with cannabinoid-like chemicals produced naturally in the body, appeared to protect against these acid-induced seizures.

 

However, while the same receptors are found in the human brain, there is no evidence that seizures could be stopped by applying similar cannabinoids in a therapy.

 

'Promising'

 

The researchers describe their finding as a "promising therapeutic target" for epilepsy drug research.

 

Professor Roger Pertwee, an researcher into cannabinoids at Aberdeen University, told BBC News Online that fresh studies into their promise against epilepsy were overdue.

 

He said: "There is always a need for new drugs to treat epilepsy, and there have now been sufficient animal studies to justify research in humans with epilepsy."

[RobbieGanjaSeed]

I have a friend, whom I haven't seen in some time though, that has siezures to epilepsy. He reckons smoko helps heaps. He also says the most up to date medications (legal) are useless. They make him feel nauseaous, and so tends to not take them. Considering that siezures tend to happen without warning, and some time can pass between episodes, it's difficult to use medicine that makes one feel sick all the time, when it's not even sure if it's needed.

 

Mind you, he isn't that put off by the siezures either. I suppose having them all your life, you must have to come to grips with it somehow. But he tells me of wonderful colours and explosions of visuals while having a siezure. It's really something I'm glad to be without, but he paints quiet an odd picture to my way of thinking of it conventionally.

 

C ya

rob

[white_cluster]

smoking a bong is obviously bad for epileptics though wouldn't it be??

 

the lack of oxygen would surely be a bigger problem than the positive effect of the pot????

[pipeman]

I have a friend, whom I haven't seen in some time though, that has siezures to epilepsy. He reckons smoko helps heaps. He also says the most up to date medications (legal) are useless. They make him feel nauseaous, and so tends to not take them. Considering that siezures tend to happen without warning, and some time can pass between episodes, it's difficult to use medicine that makes one feel sick all the time, when it's not even sure if it's needed.

 

Mind you, he isn't that put off by the siezures either. I suppose having them all your life, you must have to come to grips with it somehow. But he tells me of wonderful colours and explosions of visuals while having a siezure. It's really something I'm glad to be without, but he paints quiet an odd picture to my way of thinking of it conventionally.

 

C ya

rob

Epileptic drugs take a while to come into full effect. Sometimes weeks or longer. If your mate is prone to taking them for a while then stopping then starting up again sometime later I'm not surprised they aren't doing him much good. Often its a course of trial and error with that type of medication. What won't work for some will work for others. but, if he's happy just smoking pot, thats as good as anything I suppose.

[Guest Wilderbud]

I was diagnosed as an epileptic about 10 years ago so I ended up getting to know a couple of other people who had epilepsy - one of them smoked weed instead of taking his pills to control his seizures and it worked for him perfectly [0 seizures and he had epilepsy bad (a few fits per day level)].

[RobbieGanjaSeed]

You're undoubtably right pipeman, but I know myslef, that taking medication that is questionable in it's positive effects, but definately has negative ones, is hard to continue with. It causes depression to take medication routinely anyway, it makes ya feel like a freak, or a weekling or somethiong, and then to have nausea from them, well it just is so eay to stop. Not even conciously, just taper off without even knowing it.

 

I don't know if he used a bong or not WC. I mean, I know it's become pretty much the accpeted way for people to smoke, but there's still some of us out there that use joints. Personally I haven't used a bong for years, and hope to never use one again. Frankly I can't get properly stoned on them, and thought it was just a physc thing. But then someone posted an article here once that had a comparrison of smoking ways and the effective delivery of THC from them. A simple joint delivered THC more efficiently than any other item on the list. Not most eceonomically perhaps, but some way they measured it came to the conclusion that the THC was more eaily delivered to the user that way. I feel more "up" when I use a joint, and when I am forced to use a bong, I kind of get a flat line kind of stone. like there's a limit I get stoned to, and then go no further, and it's never quiet where I want to be.

 

Yeah I know, that's enough to cause arguements until the cows come in, but that's the way it is for me, and interestingly, it was supported by the article. Anyway, I'm going right off the subject .

 

Anyway, the guy had epilipsey, but not like a bunch of episodes in a day, wow. poor bugger. I think he was having them less frequently as he was getting older, and was having them at a rate probably around a few a month kind of affair, a few a week when they were running hot. Maybe a tad more frequent, but nothing radical like daily. So far as I know.

 

He did tell me he often had siezures and no one knew. He was kind of withdrawn a bit, his parents belonged to a cult type religion, and so was a bit cut off by that, and the epilipsey caused him some ebarrisment, so he lived in his bedroom a lot, and often had a siezure, without telling anyone.

 

He definately claimed pot helped. It's not possible for me to say it's even true, but it's what he told me.

 

cheers

rob