Suzanne Nielsen1, Rada Germanos2, Megan Weier2,3, John Pollard4, Louisa Degenhardt2, Wayne Hall3, Nicholas Buckley4, Michael Farrell2. 1. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia. suzanne.nielsen@unsw.edu.au. 2. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia. 3. Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, The University of Queensland, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Brisbane, Brisbane, QLD, 4006, Australia. 4. School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Pharmaceutical cannabinoids such as nabiximols, nabilone and dronabinol, and plant-based cannabinoids have been investigated for their therapeutic potential in treating multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms. This review of reviews aimed to synthesise findings from high quality systematic reviews that examined the safety and effectiveness of cannabinoids in multiple sclerosis. We examined the outcomes of disability and disability progression, pain, spasticity, bladder function, tremor/ataxia, quality of life and adverse effects. RECENT FINDINGS: We identified 11 eligible systematic reviews providing data from 32 studies, including 10 moderate to high quality RCTs. Five reviews concluded that there was sufficient evidence that cannabinoids may be effective for symptoms of pain and/or spasticity in MS. Few reviews reported conclusions for other symptoms. Recent high quality reviews find cannabinoids may have modest effects in MS for pain or spasticity. Future research should include studies with non-cannabinoid comparators; this is an important gap in the evidence.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Pharmaceutical cannabinoids such as nabiximols, nabilone and dronabinol, and plant-based cannabinoids have been investigated for their therapeutic potential in treating multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms. This review of reviews aimed to synthesise findings from high quality systematic reviews that examined the safety and effectiveness of cannabinoids in multiple sclerosis. We examined the outcomes of disability and disability progression, pain, spasticity, bladder function, tremor/ataxia, quality of life and adverse effects. RECENT FINDINGS: We identified 11 eligible systematic reviews providing data from 32 studies, including 10 moderate to high quality RCTs. Five reviews concluded that there was sufficient evidence that cannabinoids may be effective for symptoms of pain and/or spasticity in MS. Few reviews reported conclusions for other symptoms. Recent high quality reviews find cannabinoids may have modest effects in MS for pain or spasticity. Future research should include studies with non-cannabinoid comparators; this is an important gap in the evidence.
Authors: Gordon H Guyatt; Andrew D Oxman; Gunn E Vist; Regina Kunz; Yngve Falck-Ytter; Pablo Alonso-Coello; Holger J Schünemann Journal: BMJ Date: 2008-04-26
Authors: Simon A Broadley; Michael H Barnett; Mike Boggild; Bruce J Brew; Helmut Butzkueven; Robert Heard; Suzanne Hodgkinson; Allan G Kermode; Jeannette Lechner-Scott; Richard A L Macdonell; Mark Marriott; Deborah F Mason; John Parratt; Stephen W Reddel; Cameron P Shaw; Mark Slee; Judith Spies; Bruce V Taylor; William M Carroll; Trevor J Kilpatrick; John King; Pamela A McCombe; John D Pollard; Ernest Willoughby Journal: J Clin Neurosci Date: 2014-06-28 Impact factor: 1.961
Authors: Aline Quartilho; Heriberto P Mata; Mohab M Ibrahim; Todd W Vanderah; Frank Porreca; Alexandros Makriyannis; T Philip Malan Journal: Anesthesiology Date: 2003-10 Impact factor: 7.892