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Cannabis
effective at relieving pain after major surgery
For immediate release
Wednesday
17 May 2006
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A
cannabis expert examines a hemp plant. The Netherlands became
the world's first country to make cannabis available as a
prescription drug for treatment of Cancer, HIV and multiple
sclerosis patients.
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A cannabis plant
extract provides pain relief for patients after major surgery
such as knee replacements, a study by Imperial College London and
the Medical Research Council has shown.
Details of a trial published
today in Anesthesiology shows how effective Cannador, a cannabis
plant extract, is at managing post-operative pain.
Dr Anita Holdcroft , from
Imperial College London, and lead researcher said: "Pain
after surgery continues to be a problem because many of the
commonly used drugs are either ineffective or have too many side
effects. These results show that cannabinoids are effective, and
may lead to the development of a wider range of drugs to manage
postoperative pain."
The researchers tested Cannador
on 65 patients who had previously undergone surgery. 11 patients
received a 5mg dose, 30 received a 10mg dose, and 24 received a
15mg dose. While all patients who received a 5mg dose requested
additional pain relief, only 15 of those who received the 10mg
dose and 6 of those on the 15mg dose did so.
As the dose increased, patients
reported decreasing pain intensity and increasing side effects.
Side effects included increasing nausea and increased heart rate
in some patients.
Professor Mervyn Maze from
Imperial College London, and one of the researchers, added: "We
thought cannabis might be beneficial in helping manage pain
following surgery, as previous research indicated cannabinoids
help top up the bodys natural system for reducing pain sensation.
This research proves it can be effective, with minimal side
effects at low doses."
The study was conducted using
patients from Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Charing Cross
Hospital, Northwick Park Hospital, Kings College Hospital, The
Manor Walsall, The Whittington, St Bartholomew's, University
College London Hospital, West Middlesex and Ravenscourt Park
Hospital.
The study was funded by the
Medical Research Council and the Westminster Medical School
Research Trust, which is administered by the Chelsea and
Westminster NHS Trust. The Cannador was donated by the Institute
for Clinical Research, Berlin.
Source
/ Credit: Imperial College, London
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