Cannabidiol or CBD is arguably one of the most popular components of the cannabis sativa plant. The chemical molecule is extracted from the industrial hemp plant, which is a variety of cannabis. CBD is not the only component of marijuana, studies have revealed that there are an estimated 400 cannabinoids in this plant. However, CBD is one of the most studied. THC also known as Tetrahydrocannabinol is another component of the cannabis plant that has been widely studied. Researchers have revealed that they are similar in the way their chemical structures are designed. However, they both have different effects on the body. While CBD does not have any psychoactive proprieties, THC does. THC is responsible for the feeling of being high that people experience when they smoke marijuana. Studies have also found that both CBD and THC have medicinal capabilities which can improve health.
Some illnesses that CBD can help with are anxiety, nausea, epilepsy, insomnia, Post Traumatic Stress syndrome or PTSD, Parkinson’s Disease, cancer, chronic pain, and many others. Even the governing health authority in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agrees to the healing prowess of CBD. However, until now, the FDA had only approved just one CBD-based drug. Epidiolex is the name of the CBD-based drug that the FDA approved in 2018.
Epidiolex is meant for the treatment of epilepsy. This CBD drug is produced by GW Pharmaceuticals, a company whose main operations are based in the United Kingdom. GW Pharmaceuticals also has other cannabis-based drugs which have been approved by health authorities in the UK.
In the US, the FDA only approved for the treatment of Epidiolex. This CBD-based medicine has been approved for the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet Syndrome. These are rare type forms of epilepsy which are not that common. However, they are prone to affecting children two years are older. Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet Syndrome are said to caused severe and uncontrolled seizures in children. This is where CBD-based Epidiolex comes in; this drug can reduce the number of seizures that children are suffering from Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet Syndrome experiences.
FDA authorities say the approval of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet Syndrome. is meant to improve the lives of these children. The seizures that Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet Syndrome triggers are dangerous and can be life-threatening. However, with this CBD-based medicine, the number of seizures that occur as a result of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet Syndrome is significantly reduced. This reduction will improve the lives of these children.
“The difficult-to-control seizures that patients with Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome experience have a profound impact on these patients’ quality of life,” said Billy Dunn, M.D, director of the FDA’s Division of Neurology Products. “In addition to another important treatment option for Lennox-Gastaut patients, this first-ever approval of a drug specifically for Dravet patients will provide a significant and needed improvement in the therapeutic approach to caring for people with this condition.”
