The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7258 p76
19 July 2003

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Cannabis herb may have advantages over THC in epilepsy

An extract of cannabis may have therapeutic advantages over the herb's isolated psychoactive constituent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in epilepsy, research suggests.

Dr Liz Williamson, centre for pharmacognosy and phytotherapy, School of Pharmacy, University of London, outlined the preliminary findings at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's annual general meeting in Wales on 9 July. The effects of a standardised extract of Cannabis sativa had been compared with THC, its major active constituent, in an in vitro model of epilepsy. The herb extract abolished epileptiform bursting in this model. Cannabis herb, from which the THC had been removed, produced a similar result, showing that the THC content was not necessary for this effect, although it did possess some activity.

Dr Williamson said: "Our initial research suggests that not all of the therapeutic effects of cannabis are due to THC. Eliminating the psychoactive side effects of cannabis for some forms of therapeutic treatment would be a significant development."