A recent study featured on PracticeUpdate investigates the impact of cannabidiol-enriched oil (CBDO) on patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. Involving 19 participants who received approximately 260 mg of CBDO and 12 mg of THC daily, the study assessed various parameters pre- and post-treatment, including seizure frequency, gait, cognition, mood, sleep, and electrophysiological changes. The results revealed that 43.75% of the patients responded positively to CBDO, experiencing an average seizure reduction of 82.4%. Conversely, 56.25% of the patients saw an average seizure frequency increase of 30.1%. Notably, responders also showed improved dual-task walking and MoCA scores, but there were no clear baseline clinical or electrophysiological characteristics associated with the response.

The study underscores the complex effects of CBDO, highlighting its potential to both reduce and exacerbate seizure frequency in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. Given the mixed outcomes and the current lack of extensive evidence supporting CBDO use, the researchers suggest that it may be prudent to avoid using CBDO until more controlled trials are conducted to better understand its efficacy and safety profile in epilepsy treatment.

Source: PracticeUpdate