Cannabis Anti-Convulsant Shakes Up Epilepsy Treatment

Tiny Mids Blunt · Sep 13, 2012

The versatile cannabis plant may have a new use: it could be used to control epileptic seizures with fewer side effects than currently prescribed anti-convulsants.

Ben Whalley at the University of Reading, UK, and colleagues worked with GW Pharmaceuticals in Wiltshire, UK, to investigate the anti-convulsant properties of cannabidivarin (CBDV), a little-studied chemical found in cannabis and some other plants.

There is "big, historical, anecdotal evidence" that cannabinoids can be used to control human seizures, says Whalley, but the "side-effect baggage" means there have been relatively few studies of its pharmaceutical effect on this condition.

The team investigated the effectiveness of CBDV â€“ one of around 100 non-psychoactive cannabinoids found in cannabis â€“ as an anti-convulsant. They induced seizures in live rats and mice that had been given the drug. These animals experienced less severe seizures and lower mortality compared with animals given a placebo. The drug also had fewer side effects and was better tolerated than three of the most widely prescribed anticonvulsants.
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Cannabis anti-convulsant shakes up epilepsy treatment - health - 12 September 2012 - New Scientist

And here is the study associated with the article:

British Journal of Pharmacology
Cannabidivarin is anticonvulsant in mouse and rat in vitro and in seizure models

Background and purpose

Phytocannabinoids in Cannabis sativa have diverse pharmacological targets extending beyond cannabinoid receptors and several exert notable anticonvulsant effects. For the first time, we investigated the anticonvulsant profile of the phytocannabinoid cannabidivarin (CBDV) in vitro and in in vivo seizure models.
Experimental approach

The effect of CBDV (1-100μM) on epileptiform local field potentials (LFPs) induced in rat hippocampal brain slices by 4-AP application or Mg2+-free conditions was assessed by in vitro multi-electrode array recordings. Additionally, the anticonvulsant profile of CBDV (50-200 mg kg-1) in vivo was investigated in four rodent seizure models: maximal electroshock (mES) and audiogenic seizures in mice, and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and pilocarpine-induced seizures in rat. CBDV effects in combination with commonly-used antiepileptic drugs were investigated in rat seizures. Finally, the motor side effect profile of CBDV was investigated using static beam and grip-strength assays.
Key results

CDBV significantly attenuated status epilepticus-like epileptiform LFPs induced by 4-AP and Mg2+-free conditions. CDBV had significant anticonvulsant effects in mES (≥100 mg kg-1), audiogenic (≥50 mg kg-1) and PTZ-induced seizures (≥100 mg kg-1). CDBV alone had no effect against pilocarpine-induced seizures, but significantly attenuated these seizures when administered with valproate or phenobarbital at 200 mg kg-1 CDBV. CDBV had no effect on motor function.
Conclusions and Implications

These results indicate that CDBV is an effective anticonvulsant across a broad range of seizure models, does not significantly affect normal motor function and therefore merits further investigation in chronic epilepsy models to justify human trials.
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Cannabidivarin is anticonvulsant in mouse and rat in vitro and in seizure models - Hill - British Journal of Pharmacology - Wiley Online Library

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