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Sunday, June 3rd, 2012

Marijuna Compound Treats Schizophrenia with Few Side Effects: Clinical Trial

Author:     MAIA SZALAVITZ
Source:     Time
Publication Date:     30-May-12
 Link: Marijuna Compound Treats Schizophrenia with Few Side Effects: Clinical Trial
Stephan:   The insanity and fundamental wrongness of the U.S. position on marijuana just becomes more and more obvious. It will be interesting to see how this study is dealt with; it represents a direct assault -- just as effective, fewer side effects, enormously less expensive -- on the pharmaceutical portion of the illness profit system. My prediction is they will try to ignore it, then try to suppress it.

A compound found in marijuana can treat schizophrenia as effectively as antipsychotic medications, with far fewer side effects, according to a preliminary clinical trial.

Researchers led by Markus Leweke of the University of Cologne in Germany studied 39 people with schizophrenia who were hospitalized for a psychotic episode. Nineteen patients were treated with amisulpride, an antipsychotic medication that is not approved in the U.S., but is comparable to other medications that are.

The rest of the patients were given cannabidiol (CBD), a substance found in marijuana that is thought to be responsible for some of its mellowing or anxiety-reducing effects. Unlike the main ingredient in marijuana, THC, which can produce psychotic reactions and may worsen schizophrenia, CBD has antipsychotic effects, according to previous research in both animals and humans.

Neither the patients nor the scientists knew who was getting which drug. At the end of the four-week trial, both groups showed significant clinical improvement in their schizophrenic symptoms, and there was no difference between those getting CBD or amisulpride.

‘The results were amazing,

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