title: Symptomatic treatment of multiple sclerosis using cannabinoids: recent advances.
abstract: Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of clinical trials investigating the potential efficacy of medicinal cannabinoids for the symptomatic treatment of chronic pain and spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS). A number of different cannabinoids have been used, including: delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) itself; the synthetic delta9-THC, dronabinol; a 1:1 ratio of delta9-THC:cannabidiol (Sativex); and the synthetic delta9-THC metabolites CT-3 and nabilone. Other Cannabis extracts have also been tested. While 2-3 years ago there was little consensus in the literature, now the majority of studies are beginning to suggest that cannabinoids are useful in the treatment of MS in at least a subset of individuals. Their adverse side-effect profile has generally been mild compared with other drugs used for pain and spasticity; nonetheless, there is still concern about potential long-term side effects, particularly psychiatric side effects and effects on fetal development.
authors.affiliation: University of Otago, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, School of Medical Sciences, Dunedin, New Zealand. paul.smith@stonebow.otago.ac.nz
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends*
chemical_list: D002186:Cannabinoids