cannabisnews.com: Pot-Based Drug Promising for Arthritis





Pot-Based Drug Promising for Arthritis
Posted by CN Staff on November 09, 2005 at 07:38:22 PT
By Miranda Hitti
Source: Fox News Network 
UK -- A spray containing two chemicals extracted from marijuana improved pain and sleep in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, British researchers report.The study, which appears in Rheumatology, was small, brief, and likely the first of its kind, note the researchers. They write that the “encouraging” results warrant larger, longer studies.
The spray, called Sativex, is made by GW Pharmaceuticals, the British drug company that funded the study. It is sprayed into the mouth and the medication is absorbed under the tongue or the inside part of the cheek.One of the researchers is GW Pharmaceuticals’ medical director. Two others disclose having received honoraria from GW Pharmaceuticals.Spray StudyThe study included 58 RA patients. They had no history of psychiatric disorders, substance misuse, epilepsy, or severe heart, kidney, or liver problems.First, patients rated their pain at rest, during movement, and first thing in the morning. They also rated their quality of sleep.Next, the patients were given one of two sprays to use every evening for about a month. Sativex was one of those sprays. The other was an empty spray (placebo).Sativex was given to 31 patients. The other 27 patients got the placebo. No one knew which patients had gotten Sativex.Sativex contains THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). Those are key therapeutic compounds in cannabis that have been shown by other studies to produce effects on pain and inflammation, write the researchers.They included rheumatologist David R. Blake of the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases in Bath, England.Study’s ResultsCompared with the placebo group, patients taking Sativex had notable improvements in pain (including pain during movement and pain at rest), sleep quality, and RA disease activity, the researchers report.Morning pain didn’t change much but was “surprisingly low” to begin with, write Blake and colleagues.The sprays were only used in the evening to minimize any intoxication. The most common side effects with Sativex were dizziness (eight patients, or 26 percent of the Sativex group), dry mouth (four patients, or 13 percent), and lightheadedness (three patients, or 10 percent of those taking Sativex).By Miranda Hitti, reviewed by Louise Chang, MDSources: Blake, D. Rheumatology, Nov. 9, 2005, online edition. News release, Rheumatology.Source: Fox News Network (US)Author: Miranda HittiPublished: Tuesday, November 08, 2005Copyright: 2005 FOX News Network, LLC. Website: http://www.foxnews.com/Comments: foxnewsonline foxnews.comRelated Articles & Web Sites:GW Pharmaceuticalshttp://www.gwpharm.com/ Q & A: Sativexhttp://mpp.org/sativex.htmlRespectable Reefer - Mother Joneshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21203.shtmlAn Interview With Lester Grinspoon, M.D. http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21197.shtml
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on November 09, 2005 at 08:05:43 PT
Related Article from The Independent UK
Cannabis Could Relieve Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain ***By Jeremy Laurance, Health Editor November 9, 2005 Cannabis-based drugs could be used to relieve the pain of arthritis sufferers. The world's most popular recreational drug after tobacco and alcohol has already been shown to have a role in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Other studies suggest it may help treat gut disorders such as Crohn's disease and could even be used as an appetite suppressant. Researchers said yesterday that the latest study to examine its effect in rheumatoid arthritis found it significantly reduced pain and suppressed the disease. The finding raises hopes for 600,000 sufferers in the UK.Doctors at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases in Bath gave the cannabis-based medicine Sativex to 31 randomly selected patients with rheumatoid arthritis and compared them with a similar number of controls. Those given the active drug had significant improvements in pain relief, quality of sleep and reducing inflammation of the joints.The findings are published online today in the journal Rheumatology. Ronald Jubb, one of the researchers, said: "While the [improvements] are small and variable across the patient group, they represent benefits of clinical relevance and indicate the need for more detailed investigations through larger trials". Cannabis-based drugs could be used to relieve the pain of arthritis sufferers. The world's most popular recreational drug after tobacco and alcohol has already been shown to have a role in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Other studies suggest it may help treat gut disorders such as Crohn's disease and could even be used as an appetite suppressant. Complete Article: http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article325767.ece
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on November 09, 2005 at 08:03:19 PT
Related Article from The BBC UK
Cannabis High 'Eases Joint Pains' 
 ***November 9, 2005A study by scientists in Bath shows cannabis can significantly ease the pain of rheumatoid arthritis. 
Taken in medicine form, the class C drug was shown to improve the pain of movement, pain at rest, quality of sleep and ease inflammation. The researchers say the element of the drug which creates a potential "high" is an essential therapeutic component and cannot be removed. The authors now want to conduct a larger trial to back up their findings. Fifty-six patients took part in the 49-day trial led by David Blake, professor of bone and joint medicine at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Bath, and the University of Bath. Complete Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/4419402.stm
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Comment #1 posted by Duzt on November 09, 2005 at 07:58:10 PT
stocks up
Somebody must be reading this with interest as my stocks in GW have gone up 10% this morning. 
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