With medicinal cannabis now legalized in many parts of the world, there is growing interest in its use to alleviate symptoms of many illnesses including Parkinson’s disease (PD).
In a new study in Germany, researchers found over 8% of patients with PD reported using cannabis products and more than half of those users (54%) reported a beneficial clinical effect.
The research was conducted by a team at University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf.
Cannabis products containing THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive compound of cannabis) can be prescribed in Germany when previous therapies are unsuccessful or not tolerated, and where cannabis can be expected with not a very unlikely chance to relieve disabling symptoms.
CBD (pure cannabidiol, derived directly from the hemp plant, a cousin of the marijuana plant) is available without a prescription from pharmacies and on the internet.
In the study, the team examined patient perceptions of medicinal cannabis and evaluated the experiences of patients already using cannabis products.
They performed a nationwide survey among members of the German Parkinson Association (Deutsche Parkinson Vereinigung e.V.), which is the largest consortium of PD patients in German-speaking countries with nearly 21,000 members.
They found that interest in the PD community in medical cannabis was high, but knowledge about different types of products was limited.
About 51% of respondents were aware of the legality of medicinal cannabis, and 28% were aware of the various routes of administration (inhaling versus oral administration), but only 9% were aware of the difference between THC and CBD.
More than 8% of patients were already using cannabinoids and more than half of these users (54%) reported that it had a beneficial clinical effect.
The overall tolerability was good. Over 40% of users reported that it helped manage pain and muscle cramps, and more than 20% of users reported a reduction of stiffness (akinesia), freezing, tremor, depression, anxiety, and restless legs.
Patients reported that inhaled cannabis products containing THC were more efficient in treating stiffness than oral products containing CBD but were slightly less well tolerated.
Patients using cannabis tended to be younger, living in large cities, and more aware of the legal and clinical aspects of medicinal cannabis.
About 65% of non-users were interested in using medicinal cannabis, but lack of knowledge and fear of side effects were reported as the main reasons for not trying it.
The team says doctors should consider these aspects when advising their patients about treatment with medicinal cannabis.
The data reported here may help physicians decide which patients could benefit, which symptoms could be addressed, and which type of cannabinoid and route of administration might be suitable.
One author of the study is Prof. Dr. med. Carsten Buhmann.
The study is published in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease.
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