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| Marijuana Won't Stop Multiple Sclerosis Pain |
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Posted by CN Staff on May 14, 2002 at 07:47:36 PT By Suzanne Rostler Source: Reuters 
In findings that contradict earlier research, a team of scientists reports that marijuana does not improve the often painful symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS).Their small study found that a synthetic form of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana, and a plant extract were no better at relieving severe spasticity or muscle contraction compared with an inactive placebo. Patients' muscle tone improved while taking marijuana but their self-reported ratings on a scale measuring their overall disability declined. And while marijuana was found to be safe, some patients experienced mild side effects such as headache and dizziness, particularly after taking the plant extract, according to the report in the May 14th issue of Neurology. MS is a neurodegenerative disorder in which the slow destruction of myelin--the thin, protective coating that insulates nerve fibers in the brain and spine--can lead to numbness, muscle weakness and stiffness, impaired vision and coordination problems. A previous study in mice indicated that marijuana might help to relieve these painful spasms. However, the amount of the drug used in mice would not be tolerated in humans, the researchers explain. While their study included just 16 patients, it is the largest randomized, controlled clinical trial to investigate the use of marijuana to treat MS. "Compared to placebo, neither THC nor plant-extract treatment reduced spasticity," Dr. Joep Killestein from the VU Medical Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, told Reuters Health. "Even though the sample size is too small to be conclusive, our study was the largest and longest completed study addressing cannabinoid therapy in MS so far." The authors suggest that the dose used in the study may have been too low to show any beneficial effects, or giving the drug in capsule form may have slowed its absorption. "THC is absorbed reasonably well from the gut, but the process is slow," Killestein and colleagues explain. In the study, patients took an inactive pill (placebo), a marijuana plant-extract or synthetic THC for 4 weeks. The researchers measured muscle tone and overall disability, and patients responded to questions assessing their quality of life. Source: Neurology 2002;58:1404-1407 Complete Title: Marijuana Won't Stop Multiple Sclerosis Pain: Study Source: Reuters Health Related Articles & Web Site: Cannabinoids in Pain Management Optimism Over MS Cannabis Further Trials of Cannabis Medicines Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #8 posted by John Markes on May 15, 2002 at 09:10:21 PT |
| If I remember correctly, it was delta-8-THC, not delta-9-THC that provided the most benefit for spastic problems and multiple sclerosis in past studies of various cannabinoids... [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #7 posted by el_toonces on May 14, 2002 at 12:35:56 PT:
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| ....as I thought most serious professional journals would not publish authors who did not agree to refrain from such media meretricousness until the journal was out. Am I right, Ethan? Anyway, if a scientist is supposed to be objective, doesn't it give one pause when the scientist, or the publication he is writing in, issues a press release or even talks to the media before the issue of the journal publishing the work has even reached its professional subscribers? Otherwise, what is 'peer review' but a low-grade intensity version of politics? [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #6 posted by Ethan Russo MD on May 14, 2002 at 09:53:42 PT:
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| Unfortunately, these stories appear even before a subscriber has the opportunity to read the article; mine has not come yet. I see a number of potential pitfalls in the abstract posted on the Neurology site. THC is not cannabis, and I would not expect it to remotely provide the kind of relief to MS patients that they experience with the herb itself. I know, because many of my patients have tried Marinol without sustained improvement. Many have excellent relief with the herb. The cannabis extract of which they speak is unspecified. If it did not contain enough CBD, it would help to explain their purported lack of results. Additionally, in experimental protocols, there is a premium on "one size fits all." In other words, everyone receives the same dose irrespective of need. That is not the way cannabis therapeutics works. Rather, it has been apparent for 150 years in the literature that cannabis must be titrated to the patients need. Some need more, some need less. Some get side effects on a low dose, while others have none on a high dose. This is one reason that Hilary Black and Valerie Corral will always have better results with their patients: they take the time to ensure that the patient knows what they need, and how to handle the rough edges if they arise. For more information on practical cannabis administration, please see the following PDF: http://www.montananorml.org/docs/Russo-AAPM_chapter.pdf [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by Sam Adams on May 14, 2002 at 09:09:46 PT |
| "While their study included just 16 patients, it is the largest randomized, controlled clinical trial to investigate the use of marijuana to treat MS." What are they talking about? What about the recently concluded UK trials with 120 people that found 80% got relief from MJ extract? or the previous one that found 97% of MS patients got relief from MJ?? It's so obvious that they set out to attack the use of medical MJ - the tone of the article is similar to the pain relief study where MJ was "only as good as codiene", codiene being one of the most popular and effective pain relievers around. I wonder how the mild side effects compare with the other MS drugs? A friend of mine with MS gets a weekly injection that makes him terribly sick for 1-2 days. This is also similar to a recent study that, once and for all, "conclusively" determined that a placebo works better than St. John's Wort for depression - the study skimmed over the fact that the placebo also worked better than Zoloft! The medical establishment's attitude toward herbal medicine is deplorable. [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #4 posted by paul peterson on May 14, 2002 at 08:43:07 PT:
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| FIRST THEY SAY NO TO VALID RESEARCH ON THE WHOLE PLANT PRODUCT, THEN THEY SAY NO TO SMOKEABLE FORMS, THEN THEY SAY THE ARTIFICIAL "SCAB" FORM DOESN'T WORK, THEN THEY SAY THAT MEANS THAT THE WHOLE PLANT FORM DOESN'T WORK, THEN THEY SAY SINCE THE SCAB FORM DOESN'T WORK, THAT MEANS THAT THE REAL MCCOY IS SQUAT, THEN THEY SAY THIS JUSTIFIES NOT MAKING IT LEGAL TO USE THE REAL MCCOY, SO THEN THEY CAN SAY THAT IT IS OK TO JAIL PEOPLE FOR TRYING TO USE THIS STUFF THE RIGHT WAY (TALK ABOUT AN OSTRICH STICKING ITS HEAD IN THE SAND SO IT CAN AVOID REALITY). WOW-DID I JUST SUMMARIZE 30 YEARS OF SHIT IN THIS COUNTRY, OR WHAT? ALL SO THAT GEORGE BUSH CAN GO ON MAKING MILLIONS ON THAT SCAB DRUG COMPANY FORM OF "THC" (WHICH, IN MY ESTIMATION, IS THE WRONG SIDE OF THE EQUATION, SINCE THE CANNABINOIDS ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE BENEFICIAL COMBINATION THAT MIGHT JUST HELP PEOPLE WHERE THE DRUG COMPANIES DON'T CARE TO HELP THEM, ETC.). [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by releafer on May 14, 2002 at 08:28:54 PT |
| We understand what the article does..........lies Do you have to desceminate the lies?? I think everyone got the same reaction!! You assume that we are already to believe this. Get on with your life ... [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by idbsne1 on May 14, 2002 at 08:25:11 PT |
| The Exact points I was going to make....further, I think we all know it is the combination of THC and other Cannabinoids that are what make cannabis special, and it is WELL proven that Marinol sucks.... At least it was refreshing to read comments like: "Patients' muscle tone improved while taking marijuana... ", "And while marijuana was found to be safe...", "The authors suggest that the dose used in the study may have been too low to show any beneficial effects, or giving the drug in capsule form may have slowed its absorption" I have no worries about this article, as I believe that the work that the team in Australia did, was much more valid using whole cannabis.... idbsne1 [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on May 14, 2002 at 08:16:17 PT:
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| In findings that contradict earlier research, a team of scientists reports that marijuana does not improve the often painful symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Implication? Raw marijuana has no therapeutic properties. At least, that's what you'd think, right? But read further: Their small study found that a synthetic form of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana, and a plant extract were no better at relieving severe spasticity or muscle contraction compared with an inactive placebo. Patients' muscle tone improved while taking marijuana but their self-reported ratings on a scale measuring their overall disability declined. (Emphasis mine -k.) Notice the conflation of what could only be Marinol as raw marijuana. Note also the following: And while marijuana was found to be safe, some patients experienced mild side effects such as headache and dizziness, particularly after taking the plant extract, according to the report in the May 14th issue of Neurology. (Emphasis mine -k.) What is this unnamed 'plant extract'? Hash oil? Or something intentionally high in CBDs (which is the chemical in industrial hemp which causes the famous headaches)? They don't say. This kind of p*ss-poor 'journalism' is what the antis like to screech and wave about in ignorant pols' faces as justification for continued prohibition. Ms. Rostler needs to go back to school if she thinks this passes any tests of veracity. May I sugest a few letters taking her to the verbal woodpile for such sloppiness? [ Post Comment ] |
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