MS & The Use Of Cannabis
The results of the first and, to date, the largest clinical investigation into the use of cannabis based medicines for the treatment of some of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis have just published.
630 PwMS took part in the trial and they underwent tests using the "Ashworth" scale to measure spasticity and also a measured and timed 10m walk. The group underwent a "double-blind" trial which means that neither the participants nor the assessing doctors were aware of who was using which treatment and there were three treatments - whole cannabis extract, a synthetic cannabinoid (THC) or a placebo.
Results showed that neither cannabis-based medicine improved spasticity when measured objectively using the Ashworth scale. However, the majority of the participants reported an improvement in their spasticity and improvements to their sleep patterns and pain although most reported no benefit on tremor or bladder problems. There was also a small improvement in the mobility of the treatment group in addition to an unexpected lower number of relapses compared to the placebo group.
The authors suggest that cannabinoids could be useful in treating symptoms related to MS but suggest that more research on cannabis-based medicines is needed using more sensitive measurement scales in addition to other means of administration to assess the affect on symptoms. In addition, the apparent beneficial effect of cannabis on relapse rate might also warrant further investigation.
Extract from a report published in The Lancet 2003 Vol.362
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