Epidyolex Safely Increases CBD Levels in Children with Epilepsy

Source: Epilepsia open

Summary

This study looked at the blood levels of two substances, cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in children with epilepsy that does not respond to standard treatments. The researchers focused on 38 children, with an average age of 11 years, who were treated with a specific CBD product called Epidyolex over several years. They measured the blood levels of CBD and THC to see how they changed with different doses of the medication.

The findings showed that as the dose of Epidyolex increased, the amount of CBD in the blood also increased, reaching a median level of about 90 micrograms per liter. Importantly, THC was not detected in the blood at any time, meaning that the children were not exposed to this substance, which is often associated with cannabis. This indicates that Epidyolex can effectively provide therapeutic levels of CBD without the risks linked to THC.

These results are important because they suggest that Epidyolex can be a safe treatment option for children with difficult-to-treat epilepsy, allowing for personalized dosing based on blood levels of CBD. However, the study has some limits, such as being conducted at a single center and involving a small number of patients. More research is needed to confirm these findings and understand the long-term effects of CBD therapy in a broader population.

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