By Jeffrey Hergenrather, MD March 17, 2014
“Cannabis Finds Its Way Into Treatment of Crohn’s Disease” was the title of a recent paper by R. Schicho (University of Graz, Austria), and M. Storr, (Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany) in Pharmacology 2014; 93:1–3. Here’s the abstract:
In ancient medicine, cannabis has been widely used to cure disturbances and inflammation of the bowel. A recent clinical study now shows that the medicinal plant Cannabis sativa has lived up to expectations and proved to be highly efficient in cases of inflammatory bowel diseases. In a prospective placebo-controlled study, it has been shown what has been largely anticipated from anecdotal reports, i.e. that cannabis produces significant clinical benefits in patients with Crohn’s disease. The mechanisms involved are not yet clear but most likely include peripheral actions on cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2, and may also include central actions. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Bas
Schicho and Storr focus on a 2013 study of patients with Crohn’s disease by Israeli researchers led by Naftali T, —”Cannabis induces a clinical response in patients with Crohn’s disease: a prospective placebo-controlled study” published in Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2013;11:1276–1280.
The findings of benefit to patients by the Israeli team were consistent with the clinical response of 38 patients followed in an unpublished survey by the Society of Cannabis Clinicians. The SCC study was begun in 2005, and reported on at the International Association of Cannabinoid Medicine in 2011. My SCC colleagues and I continue to follow these 38 IBD patients, documenting changes in their clinical course and cannabis use over several years. Read the relevant background here.
