Background: Cannabis therapy has been considered an effective treatment for spasticity, although clinical reports of symptom reduction in multiple sclerosis (MS) describe mixed outcomes. Recently introduced therapies of combined Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) extracts have potential for symptom relief with the possibility of reducing intoxication and other side effects. Although several past reviews have suggested that cannabinoid therapy provides a therapeutic benefit for symptoms of MS, none have presented a methodical investigation of newer cannabinoid treatments in MS-related spasticity. The purpose of the present review was to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of combined THC and CBD extracts on MS-related spasticity in order to...

The endocannabinoid system and cannabinoid-based treatments have been involved in a wide number of diseases. In particular, several studies suggest that cannabinoids and endocannabinoids may have a key role in the pathogenesis and therapy of multiple sclerosis (MS). In this study we highlight the main fi ndings reported in literature about the relevance of cannabinoid drugs in the management and treatment of MS. An increasing body of evidence suggests that cannabinoids have benefi cial effects on the symptoms of MS, including spasticity and pain. In this report we focus on the effects of cannabinoids in the relief of spasticity describing the main fi ndings...

Multiple sclerosis is increasingly being recognized as a neurodegenerative disease that is triggered by in¯ammatory attack of the CNS. As yet there is no satisfactory treatment. Using experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis, we demonstrate that the cannabinoid system is neuroprotective during EAE. Mice de®cient in the cannabinoid receptor CB1 tolerate in¯ammatory and excitotoxic insults poorly and develop substantial neurodegeneration following immune attack in EAE. In addition, exogenous CB1 agonists can provide signi®cant neuroprotection from the consequences of in¯ammatory CNS disease in an experimental allergic uveitis model. Therefore, in addition to symptom management, cannabis may also slow the neurodegenerative processes...

Introduction: Spasticity is a common symptom among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). This study aims to assess the effectiveness and safety of the combination of delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) in clinical practice for the treatment of spasticity in MS. Methods: Retrospective observational study with patients treated with inhaled THC/CBD between April 2008 and March 2012. Descriptive patient and treatment variables were collected. Therapeutic response was evaluated based on the doctor’s analysis and overall impression. Results: Of the 56 patients who started treatment with THC/CBD, 6 were excluded because of missing data. We evaluated 50 patients (42% male) with a median age of...

Background: While neuropsychological deficits have been reported in healthy individuals who use street cannabis, data in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are lacking. Given that MS is associated with cognitive deterioration, the aim of this study was to determine the neuropsychological effects of cannabis use in this population. Methods: Two groups, each of 25 patients with MS (cannabis users and nonusers), were administered the Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Function in MS battery of neuropsychological tests, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I). Group-matching and regression analysis were used to control for the...

Objective: Cannabis may alleviate some symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). This study investigated the effect of an orally administered standardized Cannabis sativa plant extract in MS patients with poorly controlled spasticity. Methods: During their inpatient rehabilitation programme, 57 patients were enrolled in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of cannabis-extract capsules standardized to 2.5 mg tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and 0.9 mg cannabidiol (CBD) each. Patients in group A started with a drug escalation phase from 15 to maximally 30 mg THC by 5 mg per day if well tolerated, being on active medication for 14 days before starting placebo. Patients in group B...