Bad image of marijuana as a plant that is often misused will soon change in the near future. British scientists have proved that this plant could treat epilepsy and now is preparing clinical trials in humans.
Dr Ben Whalley, drugs researchers from the University of Reading recently proved some compounds in cannabis plants to effectively relieve the electric prod prod-occur in the brain. Prod-prod it is the trigger seizures in people with epilepsy.
Compounds in question include cannabidiol, one of the cannabis content that users create can be drunk. In treating epilepsy, cannabidiol is assisted by another compound in cannabis plants whose names are still foreign enough that GWP42006.
Preclinical Tests on animals have shown, both compounds are very effective and safe to relieve electric prod prod-trigger seizures. To determine the appropriate therapeutic dose for humans, in the near Dr Whalley and his team will conduct clinical trials.
If successful, the results of this study will slightly change the image of marijuana that had been bad. Than originally synonymous with crime and abuse into plants that are beneficial to the development of pharmaceutical science and medicine.
"Previously, in the era of the '60s and '70s marijuana once synonymous with the abuse that is rarely seen its potential for medical purposes," said Dr Whelley as quoted by the Telegraph, on Monday (4/11/2011).
Benefits of marijuana in the medical field is already much studied in recent decades. Some of them also proved that the plant is efficacious as a medicine, among others overcome the pain in patients with multiple schlerosis and cancer.
Recent research conducted by Dr. Whalley and his team have been published recently in the journal seizure.