THE EFFECTS OF CANNABIDIOL IN THE TREATMENT OF EPILEPSY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22478/ufpb.2317-6032.2023v27n3.64159Palavras-chave:
Cannabidiol; Cannabis sativa; Epilepsy; Systematic reviewResumo
Introduction: There are some types of structurally similar cannabinoids, although with different pharmacological actions. Studies demonstrate how cannabidiol has great therapeutic potential against epilepsy. Objectives: This review aimed to assess the use of cannabidiol in the treatment of diseases such as epilepsy. Methods: The review was conducted and based on the search of scientific articles in the PubMed, Scielo, LILACS and Science Direct electronic databases. Were included articles in English, Portuguese, or Spanish, made available in full and for free within the period from 2009 to 2019, allowing only clinical trials. Results: All articles included in the review reported that the experimental groups obtained a favorable result with cannabidiol compared with the placebo during the experimental period. The most common adverse events observed were somnolence, decreased appetite, diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infection and pyrexia. The severe adverse events mentioned were elevated concentrations of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyltransferase. Conclusion: The administration of cannabidiol as a complementary anticonvulsant medication is capable to reduce epileptic seizures, especially when epilepsy is resistant to pharmacological treatment. Thus, more effective and safe guide for development of new anticonvulsant drugs, derived from Cannabis Sativa, will improve the quality of life of patients with epilepsy.