November 6, 2003 – The first clinical study to be conducted on the issue concludes that the use of marijuana only modestly improves the condition of people with multiple sclerosis, especially since it is not excluded that this improvement can be attributed to the placebo effect.
British researchers have recruited 630 patients with multiple sclerosis. They gave a first third a cannabis extract, a second third the THC (the main active ingredient in cannabis) while the last third served as a control group.
After 15 weeks, patients who received THC took 12% less time to walk a short distance than before the start of the study; this reduction was 4% for both the patients who received the cannabis extract and the control group. In addition, 54% of patients who received THC or cannabis extract reported pain relief, compared to 37% for the control group. Forty-six percent of patients in the control group finally reported improvement in their spasticity (a condition characterized by muscle spasms or contractures), compared to 60% of the others.
The researchers note, however, that pain and spasticity are extremely subjective concepts. Spasticity, in particular, is made up just as many signs observed by the doctor as symptoms reported by the patient.
In addition, it is entirely possible that the improvements noted were attributable to the placebo effect, as subjects who took the cannabis extract and THC sometimes experienced side effects, such as a slightly increased heart rate and state of consciousness. altered, which were absent in the control group. The patients therefore knew, sooner or later, to which group they belonged.
However, the researchers believe their results, which are published in The Lancet, are intriguing enough to merit further study.
Similarly, a British pharmaceutical company is awaiting government approval to market Sativex, a liquid drug made from marijuana. Clinical trials have focused on its usefulness in patients with chronic pain or multiple sclerosis, for whom it would be intended if approved, but further trials are currently underway to test its effectiveness in pain related to the disease. Cancer.
Jean-Benoit Legault – PasseportSanté.net
From eurekalert.org and HerbalGram; November 6, 2003.