News at the IACM 2005 Conference in Leiden

On 9-10 September the IACM held its 3rd Conference on Cannabinoids in Medicine. Here are some excerpts from presentations.

Cannabis in multiple sclerosis:

British researchers presented results of a long-term study on Sativex in multiple sclerosis. Patients suffered from at least one of the following symptoms: spasticity, spasms, bladder problems, tremor or pain. 137 patients were included in the long-term study (average duration: 434 days, range: 21-814 days) that followed a six-week acute study with 160 patients. Average maximum daily doses were 37.5 mg THC and CBD in the acute study. 66 patients with spasticity completed 82 weeks of treatment.

At entry to the acute study this group had a mean spasticity score of 69.5 on a visual analogue scale, which had reduced to 34.2 on entry into the long-term study and was 31.8 after 82 weeks. In this group average daily doses had reduced marginally from 30 mg THC to 25 mg in the course of the treatment. The study demonstrates that beneficial effects of cannabis on spasticity in multiple sclerosis seem to be maintained over long-term treatment, with no evidence of tolerance. (Abstract by Robson et al.)

Cannabis in neuropathy:

Researchers of the University of California presented results of a clinical study of smoked cannabis in 50 patients with HIV-related painful peripheral neuropathy. Participants smoked a cannabis cigarette or a placebo cigarette three times daily for five days. 13 of the 25 patients who had received cannabis cigarettes reported greater then 30 percent reduction in pain, compared with 6 of the 25 patients receiving placebo cigarettes. The pain reduction was greater in the group receiving cannabis (34 percent) than in the control group (16.7 percent). Researchers concluded that the magnitude of the response of the neuropathic pain is similar to what is seen with gabapentin, a widely used therapeutic intervention for HIV neuropathy. (Abstract by Abrams et al.)

Cannabidiol (CBD) in schizophrenia:

Researchers of the University of Cologne presented results of their study that compared the effects of CBD and amisulpride (an established antipsychotic, aka Solian) in 42 patients with acute schizophrenia. Half of them received 800 mg of oral CBD daily for four weeks. CBD significantly reduced psychopathological symptoms of acute psychosis, when compared to the initial status. There was no statistical difference in treatment effect compared to the control group. Cannabidiol, however, caused significantly less side effects than amisulpride. (Abstract by Leweke et al., personal communication to www.cannabis-med.org)

(Source: Abstract book available for download on the IACM website)