Cannabis Helps Reduce the Symptoms of Multiple-Sclerosis

(TRFW News) The term spasticity refers to the involuntary muscle contractions that lead to spasms and stiffness, and that are usually consistent with brain trauma or neurological disorders that affect myelin sheaths in the brain. More commonly, spasticity is a poorly manageable symptom of multiple sclerosis.
While dietary improvements, exercise and medication may help with mild-to-moderate movement impairment, one’s chances of recovery depend on a multitude of factors, including the intensity of the symptoms, and their underlying causes.

Study shows that cannabis works against spasticity

A clinical crossover study published in May 2012, and carried out by researchers at the University of California, San Diego, found that cannabis was superior to placebo in reducing pain and spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis.
For their trial, the researchers used a group of MS sufferers, who were asked to consume either cannabis or a placebo over a period of 3 days. At the end of the trial period, the scientists compared results and noticed that when treated with cannabis, patients reported a considerably greater reduction in spasticity than when treated with the placebo.
In addition, the San Diego science team also looked at how MS sufferers perceive pain and fatigue, and how cannabis can influence that perception. Thanks to its analgesic properties, cannabis was able to reduce pain considerably, while having no remarkable after effects over the course of the trial. In conclusion, the researchers discussed the necessity of conducting future studies that look at whether different doses of cannabis can produce different effects.

Cannabinoids may have additional neuroprotective properties

Another study carried out in May 2012, this time in the UK, at the Peninsula Medical School in Plymouth, found that the active compounds in cannabis cannot halt the progression of multiple sclerosis, although they do help relieve some of its symptoms. Moreover, pharmaceutical drugs containing natural cannabis extracts are free of any psychoactive ingredients and have few or no side-effects, making them a viable alternative to synthetic drugs, which tend to cause more long-term damage.
Unfortunately, at this time, there are very few treatments available for degenerative neurological conditions, and most of what we have available focuses on treating the symptoms, not the underlying causes. Professor Zajicek, who conducted the UK study, explained that one of the main focuses of medical science should be finding substances that can slow down the progression of degenerative diseases and protect brain cells. In spite of the current research results, other in vitro studies have suggested that cannabinoids may have yet untapped neuroprotective properties.
“If we spent more money on these trials then we’d have answers and treatments for these degenerative diseases that we haven’t got at the moment”, Zajicek concluded.
Sources for this article include:
(1) www.cmaj.ca
(2) www.bbc.co.uk
(3) abcnews.go.com
(4) www.reuters.com
Image source: flic.kr