Cannabidiol Therapy for Refractory Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of pharmacology and clinical applications without systematic review methodology.
PubMed 33332006 · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-57369-0_7
What was done
Review of cannabis pharmacology, proposed neuroprotective mechanisms, and clinical trial evidence regarding cannabidiol as an adjunct therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy and related seizure disorders.
What was found
No quantitative data or effect sizes were reported in the abstract. The abstract states that cannabidiol-rich Epidiolex was approved by the FDA in 2018 for Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes, displays anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective actions in experimental research, and is generally safe and effective as an adjunct treatment for treatment-resistant seizures in severe early-onset pediatric epilepsy.
Why it matters
This review outlines the clinical indications, putative mechanisms, and trial pipeline for cannabidiol in pediatric and adult refractory seizure disorders.
Limits
This is a narrative review without primary data, systematic search criteria, or quantitative synthesis. Outcomes for adult populations and other seizure etiologies remain under investigation in ongoing trials.
Cited by
- supports Cannabidiol (CBD) has received regulatory approval for the treatment of pediatric epilepsy syndromes, specifically Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.