Sandyk/Huntington/CBD/1986

EFFECTS OF CANNABIDIOL IN HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE

Neurology 36 (Suppl 1) April 1986 p. 342

Reuven Sandyk, Paul Consroe, Lawrence Z. Stern, and Stuart R. Snider,
Tucson, AZ

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a major nonpsychoactive cannabinoid of
marijuana. Based on reports indicating possible efficacy of CBD in
dystonic movements (Neurology 1984; 34 [Suppl 1]: 147 and 1985; 35 [Suppl
1]: 201), we tried CBD in three patients with Huntington's disease (HD).
The patients;, aged 30 to 56, had HD of 7 to 12 years' duration. Their
condition has been slowly progressive and unresponsive to prior therapy
with neuroleptics. Orally administered CBD was initiated at 300 mg/d and
increased 1 week later to 600 mg/d for the next 3 weeks. Mild improvement
(5 to 15%) in the choreic movements was documented using the tongue
protrusion test (Neurology [Minneap} 1972; 22: 929-33) and a chorea
severity evaluation scale (Br J Clin Pharmacol 1981; 11: 129-51) after
the first week. Further improvement (20 to 40%) was noticed after the
second week of CBD, and this remained stable for the following 2 weeks.
Except for transient, mild hypotension, no side effects were recorded, and
laboratory tests were normal. Withdrawal of CBD after 48 hours resulted in
return of choreic movements to the pre-CBD state.

(Supported in part by NINCDS grant #NS15441)

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