Medicinal marijuana spray may help more than MS: doctors 12 Jan 2006 CBC News
Since the first cannabis-based drug was approved for use in Canada last year, doctors say the medication is catching on among people with multiple sclerosis and could be used for other types of pain.
Sativex is a mouth spray that delivers medicinal marijuana. The metered spray is administered under the tongue or inside the cheek. It's concentrated to offer maximum pain relief with minimal marijuana buzz.
Sativex mouth spray sits on a book about medicinal uses of cannabis and cannabinoids.
Health Canada was the first drug regulator to approve the medication for people with multiple sclerosis who can't get relief from traditional drugs.
The spray treats neuropathic pain in MS – nerve pain that can be triggered by touch, temperature or movement and is often difficult to treat.
"It feels like its sort of boring through your bones," said Janet Liston of Ottawa. "It's like it's inside your bone."
Liston has been taking Sativex for six months, which is how long it has been available in Canada.
So far, a few hundred people worldwide have used Sativex in clinical trials. They report side-effects that include some respiratory infections. A feeling of mild intoxication or dizziness was the most common.
"The side-effects are a lot less than smoking marijuana," said Dr. Jock Murray, an MS specialist in Ottawa. "A lot of people surprisingly don't want to get high, they want to get relief from their pain."
Sativex will be tested in the U.S. for people with cancer. In Britain, it's being tried in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy.
Dr. Mark Ware is prescribing medicinal marijuana for a variety of conditions at his pain clinic in Montreal. The results so far are mixed but encouraging, he said.
"I think the potential for drugs like Sativex and the family of cannabinoid products which are inevitably to follow is incredibly wide."
One of the drawbacks of Sativex is that it costs about $500 a month. Provincial drugs plans don't cover it but some private insurance plans do.
Posted by treepatrol (Member # 4117) on :
SATIVEX�, indicated as adjunctive treatment for the symptomatic relief of neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis in adults, has been issued a marketing authorization with conditions, to reflect the promising nature of the clinical evidence and the need for confirmatory studies to verify the clinical benefit. Patients should be advised of the conditional nature of the authorization.
PHARMACEUTICAL INFORMATION Drug Substance Common name: delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol 27mg/ml (from Tetranabinex� - Cannabis sativa L. extract) and cannabidiol 25mg/ml (from Nabidiolex� - Cannabis sativa L. extract) Tetranabinex� is an extract of a chemically and genetically characterised cannabis plant, containing delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol as the principal cannabinoid (delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol Botanical Drug Substance (THC BDS)). Nabidiolex� is an extract of a chemically and genetically characterised cannabis plant, containing cannabidiol as the principal cannabinoid (cannabidiol Botanical Drug Substance (CBD BDS)). Chemical name: THC: 3-pentyl-6,6,9-trimethyl-6A,7,8,10A-tetrahydro-6H-dibenzo(B,D)pyran-1-ol or 6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-6H-dibenzo(B,D)pyran-1-ol CBD: Based on numbering system related to monoterpenes: 2-[1-methyl-4-isopropenyl-cyclohexen-3-yl]-5-pentyl-1,3-benzenediol Based on standard IUPAC numbering: 2-[3-methyl-6-isopropenyl-2-cyclohexen-1-yl]-5-pentyl-1,3-benzenediol
Molecular formula and molecular mass: THC: C21H30O2 molecular mass: 314.47 CBD: C21H30O2 molecular mass: 314.47 Structural formula: THC:
Physicochemical properties: The THC BDS (Tetranabinex�) is a brown viscous semi-solid with an absence of immiscible liquid. It has a characteristic smell of decarboxylated cannabis. Typically it contains not than 64% THC with the remainder being co-extracted plant extract. Soluble in: Methanol Ethanol Acetone Dichloromethane Insoluble in: Water The CBD BDS (Nabidiolex�) is a brown viscous semi-solid with an absence of immiscible liquid. It has a characteristic smell of decarboxylated cannabis. Typically it contains not less than 60% CBD with the remainder being co-extracted plant extract. Soluble in: Methanol Ethanol Acetone Dichloromethane Insoluble in: Water
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Bayers pdf Posted by lymeloco (Member # 7192) on :
I don't know a lot about medicinal marijuana, but I did see a woman with brain cancer on t.v. fighting for this law to pass. Poor thing looked horrible.
oh, that i could, however, i used the kind to excess in the past. none for me, thanks.
yes to people who can handle it
Posted by Areneli (Member # 6740) on :
As you know I have this kind of pain evoked by touch or movement or 'burning or hypersensitive skin'
Still it may be a while before I try such a thing.
Anyway, it is good to have options.
Posted by brentb (Member # 6899) on :
Only on my really bad days do i need the stuff. For these wasting diseases the stuff is truly a gift from god. The illegality of it is truly a crime against humanity
[ 13. January 2006, 02:29 PM: Message edited by: brentb ]
Posted by groovy2 (Member # 6304) on :
If you gotum smokeum--Jay--
Posted by proud pup (Member # 4152) on :
Could anyone that has tried this and found it to work please email me, or send a privite message.
Posted by 5dana8 (Member # 7935) on :
I used marinol for a very short period of time.Same type of drug.Very expensive too.It was prescibed for nausua & weight loss. Did't get a buzz or anything like that. It worsened my CNS symptoms big time. Just my personal experience.
Posted by santa_pax (Member # 8318) on :
I think Marinol is a synthetic version of only certain chemicals found in the cannabis plant, whereas Sativex is the whole plant, and it is not synthetic.
Perhaps better for pain than Marinol.
Posted by Cap (Member # 57) on :
For my understanding on Marijuana, the reason why it helps in the short term with chronic infections, is because it's calms the immune system.
But I could be wrong on this, is that the _last_ thing you want to do with cancer or Lyme, is to shut down the immune system?
Sure, it will help calm symptoms, but in the long term, won't it make things worse?
And the same goes with Steroids and NSAIDs as well.
Posted by 5dana8 (Member # 7935) on :
I think yes & no The immune system in lyme is over-acivated in some respcets,spinning out of control ,like tires spin in the mud.
On the other hand parts of the immune system are underregualed and not functioning properly.
I try to be careful of some "products " that over stimulate my immune system because of the auto immune response.
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