Cannabis Provides Improvements In Brazilian Parkinson’s Disease Patients
According to international researchers, the prevalence of Parkinson’s disease has doubled in the past 25 years with an estimated 8.5 million individuals living with the serious health condition.
“Parkinson’s disease resulted in 5.8 million disability-adjusted life years, an increase of 81% since 2000, and caused 329,000 deaths, an increase of over 100% since 2000.” states the World Health Organization.
Researchers based in Brazil recently published the results of a case report that found that the use of medical cannabis oil provided symptomatic improvements in patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Below is more information about the study and its results via a news release from NORML:
João Pessoa, Brazil: The daily administration of plant-derived cannabis extracts containing THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids is associated with significant improvements in a patient with late-stage Parkinson’s disease (PD), according to the case report published in the Brazilian Journal of Biology.
Brazilian investigators documented clinical improvements in a 77-year-old PD patient following his use of cannabis oil. The patient consumed up to five drops of cannabis oil twice daily for three months.
The study’s authors reported symptomatic improvements within one week of cannabis therapy. The patient’s symptoms continued to improve throughout the trial period, resulting in a reduction in his use of prescription medicines.
“This case reports a significant improvement in both motor and non-motor functions in a patient with advanced PD following the administration [of] a full-spectrum CBD-rich oil containing THC and other phytocannabinoids,” they concluded. “These compelling results suggest that cannabis oil may offer a valuable and effective therapeutic option for individuals with Parkinson’s disease.”
Full text of the study, “Cannabis oil in treating Parkinson’s disease: Improvement of motor and non-motor symptoms: A case report,” appears in the Brazilian Journal of Biology. Additional information on cannabis and Parkinson’s disease is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis & Cannabinoids.