Paper Example on Cannabidiol

Introduction

The main chemical concentration in the marijuana plant is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and it is closely followed by the chemical component cannabidiol. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that numerous studies have established that the cannabidiol chemical element is a drug, thus the products containing it should not be classified as dietary supplements. The classification of cannabidiol as a drug has seen the FDA approve the first drug that contains this active chemical component derived from the marijuana plant. The approved drug, branded as Epidiolex, is an oral medication aimed at treating the rare and severe forms of epilepsy although it has other uses. According to the approving team at the FDA, this is the first drug approved after being manufactured from a purified drug chemical substance derived from cannabis sativa. Unlike the commonly known THC, cannabidiol does not bring about the euphoric high or intoxication that is associated with the marijuana plant. Scientific research has made it possible to properly assess the active chemical components of marijuana to facilitate medical therapies.

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How Cannabidiol Works

The FDA has outlined that the key reason for the approval of the cannabidiol-containing Epidiolex was the successful undertaking of controlled clinical trials that entailed testing for the efficacy and the safety of the drug. In understanding how the drug works, the clinical trials revealed that the cannabidiol has antipsychotic effects. There is no pinpoint cause that can be attributed for these antipsychotic effects. However, the cannabidiol chemical component of the drug has shown abilities to prevent the breakdown of a chemical element in the brain that influences body pain, mood, and cognitive functions. It is this prevention of the breakdown of the brain chemical while increasing its quantity in the bloodstream that facilitates the the reduction of psychotic functions that are associated with different conditions. The cannabidiol chemical part of the drug is also able to block some psychoactive effects while also minimizing anxiety and body pain in the bodies of patients.

Uses of Cannabidiol

The approval of the Epidiolex by the FDA has been a welcome relief for various patients who will find this cannabidiol drug effective in treating different conditions. Although primarily approved for treating rare and severe cases of epilepsy, there are other uses in which the drug has. Epileptics have reporting a dramatic reduction in the occurrence of seizures with the use of this drug. Cannabidiol has proven to be effective in relieving body pain and tightness around the muscles. This makes it useful for treating patients with multiple sclerosis. It is also mildly effective in improving manic episodes in patients grappling with bipolar disorders. The same can be said of insomniacs as taking a dose of cannabidiol improves the quality and time of sleep in patients suffering from insomnia. Extensive research shows that cannabidiol would also be effective in treating people with schizophrenia and the patients suffering from Parkinson's disease. A regular high intake of cannabidiol helps people with social anxiety disorder while using an inhaler to to inhale cannabidiol for up to a week help in reducing and ultimately quitting cigarette smoking.

Recalls and Alerts/Warnings

The recently approved Epidiolex underwent successful clinical trials where tests showed that th drug is safe for use in the health care market. There have not been any recalls on the cannabidiol-containing drug thus far. However, there are other generic drugs in the market that contain cannabidiol as their main chemical component and have attracted the attention of the FDA. To this end, the FDA has issued a warning to health care users through an alert on various drug manufacturing entities that are marketing drugs not approved by the FDA. The main cause of this public alert is the fact that the FDA has conducted laboratory tests on the chemical content of the cannabidiol level in the said products in the market. Most of these drugs have been found to have low quantities of cannabidiol than the amount that they claim to contain, thus rendering them ineffective in treating the conditions that the manufacturers claim treat. Consumers in the American market ought too be wary when making drug purchases.

How to Protect Someone From Being Harmed by the Medication

There is a safe way of using Epidiolex or cannabidiol such that the patient will be safe from being harmed by the medication. Cannabidiol is safest when taken appropriately through the mouth by adult patients. However, there are some common side effects associated with the chemical component of cannabidiol in drugs. These side effects are feeling drowsy, light headed, having low blood pressure, and a dry mouth. Patients who have taken the Epidiolex drug have reported other side effects like feeling lethargic and sedated, poor quality sleep or even insomnia, a low appetite for food, physical fatigue plus weakness, body rash, elevated liver enzymes, diarrhea, and vulnerability to new infections. The clinical trials conducted on cannabidiol did not involve situations where subjects were pregnant, making it advisable for pregnant or breastfeeding women to avoid using the drug for their own safety. Cannabidiol is also likely to worsen the tremors and weaken the movement of muscles in Parkinson's patients if used in high doses.

Reference

https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm484109.htm