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  Cannabis Spray Helps 77 Pct of Pain Patients-Study
Posted by FoM on September 10, 2001 at 19:48:25 PT
By Reuters 
Source: Reuters 

medical A British company developing the world's first cannabis-based medicines said Monday its under-the-tongue spray had delivered significant benefit for 77 percent of chronic pain sufferers in clinical trials.

GW Pharmaceuticals Plc, which grows its cannabis in secret glasshouses in southern England, tested the new drug against placebo on patients suffering from multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury.

It found that 41 out of the first 53 patients enrolled in the Phase I and II studies derived statistically significant benefit, including reduced pain, improved sleep and overall symptom relief.

Side effects, including headaches and nausea, were ''predictable and generally well tolerated,'' it added.

Some patients did become intoxicated -- as the best known effect of cannabis kicked in -- but generally the ability to control dosage with the spray mechanism allowed users to strike a balance between reducing pain and getting high.

Results of trials at three centers were presented at the American Academy of Pain Management in Arlington, Virginia.

Dr. William Notcutt of James Paget Hospital in Great Yarmouth in eastern England had last week outlined promising results from one of the studies at a scientific meeting in Scotland.

GW also announced that Britain's Medicines Control Agency had approved the extended use of its cannabis-based medicines from 12 to 24 months of treatment, following the submission of safety data.

GW, which floated in London in June but has seen its shares fall by more than 40 percent on uncertainties about whether cannabis will ever become a mainstream medicine, said the results were very encouraging.

``The half-term report is -- so far, so good,'' said Executive Chairman Geoffrey Guy.

Although the use of cannabis is illegal in most countries, patients with diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis have been lobbying to use cannabis for medicinal purposes.

The company is already undertaking final Phase III study and aims to file for regulatory approval of its spray in 2003, with the aim of bringing the first prescription medicine made from cannabis extracts to the market early in 2004.

Newshawk: Ethan Russo M.D.
Source: Reuters
Published: Monday, September 10, 2001
Copyright: 2001 Reuters Unlimited

Related Articles & Web Sites:

UK Medicinal Cannabis Project
http://www.medicinal-cannabis.org/

Medical Marijuana Information Links
http://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htm

Cannabis Spray Blunts Pain
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10874.shtml

Cannabis 'Dramatically Improves Pain Relief'
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10803.shtml

New Trial Shows Cannabis Works
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10802.shtml


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Comment #15 posted by ~DuD~ on September 12, 2001 at 18:10:31 PT:

Bring it on.

How do you get Multiple Sclerosis?

-yep, stoner-

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #14 posted by FoM on September 11, 2001 at 16:44:34 PT
Dr. Russo
I just saw your comment. I think that is wonderful that they only got rid of the cough! Yes! I needed to hear something good today! Where can I sign up? lol!

Oh good the aah is in!

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #13 posted by mr.greengenes on September 11, 2001 at 13:22:33 PT
Guy's home page
http://www.gwpharm.com/

For those wishing to check out their home page.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #12 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on September 11, 2001 at 05:30:16 PT:

Other Components
Cannabinoids, terpenoids and flavonoids are the medicinal chemicals in cannabis. The rest is water, chlorophyll, inert matter, etc.

Flavonoids are antioxidants and anti-inflammatory components with anti-aging and cell protective responses.

Terpenoids are the essential oils that give cannabis its aroma. There are many with important medical benefits that include anti-inflammatory, analgesic, bronchodilating, and memory-enhancing effects.

Together this herbal mixture produces effects and medical benefits unobtainable with synthetic THC as Marinol.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #11 posted by xxdr_zombiexx on September 11, 2001 at 04:48:30 PT:

When do they get the patent?
This stuff cannot possibly be working. Those patients and the pharmaceutical company are lying.

The US Government, benevolent and all-knowing, found in 1998 that cannabis had no known or possible medical uses. Guy Pharmaceuticales must be in line with those awful Drug Liberals....

The whole reason cannabis is supressed is the absence of ability to patent it. Dupont couldn't patent any of the fibres or chemicals, or oils. The pharmaceutical companies tried to make medications out of it as the Government protected thier exclusive access to research on it.

Guy Pharmaceuticals has basically done what others havent: made actual useful medications. The delivery system and the reseach will doubtless be patented.

What happens to the companies stock after legalization? People around the world will eventually hear of vaporizers, which cannot provide much of a differnt, non-coughing (or relatively non-coughing) dose, leaving behind the tars and stuff of the basic plant's vegetable matter.

perhaps the UK should be decertified for allowing a drug maunfacturing businesss to thrive inside its country.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #10 posted by Poisoned1515Days on September 11, 2001 at 04:29:56 PT
noids?
"These extracts are the real article: the cannabinoids,
terpenoids, and flavonoids are all preserved. The patient
receives the full complement of synergistic
phytochemicals in their respective glory. Thus, this
approach is unique. Only the cough is removed."

What are terpenoids,flavonoids? They sound like
good rock band names? If its all there,
what exactly is removed?


[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #9 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on September 11, 2001 at 03:43:49 PT:

Extract Composition
These extracts are the real article: the cannabinoids, terpenoids, and flavonoids are all preserved. The patient receives the full complement of synergistic phytochemicals in their respective glory. Thus, this approach is unique. Only the cough is removed.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #8 posted by FoM on September 10, 2001 at 21:41:25 PT
The terrible aah
Oh the aah isn't terrible. I wish they'd get it but we know they sure are starting too. Yippie. I needed a Yippie after all the sad news recently.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #7 posted by dddd on September 10, 2001 at 21:36:29 PT
FoM
yea,,,I'll bet that the aah is the main ingredient,,,,no aah,,no relief...
..it seems so strange that they think that getting stoned is some
sort of undesirable side effect....dddd


[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #6 posted by FoM on September 10, 2001 at 21:16:02 PT
dddd read this sentence and tell me what it means
Some patients did become intoxicated -- as the best known effect of cannabis kicked in -- but generally the ability to control dosage with the spray mechanism allowed users to strike a balance between reducing pain and getting high.

If a medical patient smokes all day they don't take a trip and never leave the farm. Maybe the aah is still there? Maybe?

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #5 posted by dddd on September 10, 2001 at 20:58:53 PT
the one thing about the spray..
...is that,(correct me if I'm wrong),they have worked very
hard to get rid of that annoying stone.....what we need,is a
nice ,,full on ,stone spray....."Weedex",,,or "Formula 420",,
and just like plain,or unscented,,you could get it in "stone",
or "non-Stone" varieties........dddd


[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #4 posted by Poisoned1515Days on September 10, 2001 at 20:38:34 PT
inhaler?
Is the spray basically a
pure extract of all the cannibinoids or
a selective extract? Can't wait to
get my inhaler in 2004! Sounds like
a useful thing in places you cannot smoke
or eat brownies -
airplanes, theaters, some concerts , etc


[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #3 posted by Poisoned1515Days on September 10, 2001 at 20:29:09 PT
Arlington?
If I had known it was in
Arlington I would have stopped
by


[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #2 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on September 10, 2001 at 20:16:42 PT:

Non-neutral Comments
"Results of trials at three centers were presented at the American Academy of Pain Management in Arlington, Virginia."

This was the conference I organized and chaired last Friday, so I am delighted to have had a small role in getting the word out to professionals and public. The event was well attended and received. Dr. Guy's keynote really swayed a lot of people that had suffered from the "snicker factor" in relation to clinical cannabis.

We need more events such as this to help the issue reach critical mass. I do feel that the tide is turning.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #1 posted by FoM on September 10, 2001 at 19:54:03 PT
Sounds Great
Some patients did become intoxicated? You mean they didn't take the aah feeling out? That's great if I'm reading this right. I'm glad that it takes pain away most of all though. That's wonderful.

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