Article published by Vital Record
The emerging field of medical cannabinoids has experienced a breakthrough in epilepsy and seizure disorders. D. Samba Reddy, PhD, RPh, a Regents Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics at the Texas A&M University School of Medicine, is spearheading this advancement with a team of pharmacology researchers.
The team’s research on epilepsy has resulted in the publication of five key papers featured in the May 2023 issue of the journal Experimental Neurology.
“The medical cannabis research originated from the patient families and advocates in Colorado who have witnessed the positive effects of medical cannabis products,” said Reddy, who is a founding director of the Texas A&M Health Institute of Pharmacology and Neurotherapeutics.
Early small reports and surveys provided confirmation that CBD could potentially offer benefits for epilepsy. This prompted comprehensive research endeavors, which led to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approving CBD for treating childhood epilepsy in 2018. However, Reddy says the exact functions of endocannabinoids, the spectrum effects and the mechanisms through which CBD counteracts seizures still require further investigation.