Lumbar pain is something that can be very common in society by the clinic so annoying that it has associated as the problems getting up from a chair, to walk or even to bend down. This makes research focused on seeking a treatment for this type problem that exceeds anti -inflammatory and analgesic classics. AND The key may be precisely in cannabis.
A study. Recently published, an investigation whose results have been published in Nature Medicine, He has shown that a cannabis extract can reduce chronic low back pain. The drug called Ver-01 not only calms pain, but also Improves sleep and physical function. But the most important of all is that it does not create any dependence or withdrawal syndrome, so it is an interesting option to opioid analgesics such as the Tramadol.
The problem. Chronic low back pain is one of the main causes of disability worldwide, By affecting more than 600 million people approximately. Those who suffer from Manudo faces a dead end in the therapeutic field by not having a healing path beyond taking NSAIDs and trying to reinforce the muscles in the gym.
But the big problem is in the most powerful analgesics offered when ibuprofen does not finish working, but that creates a big dependence problem in our society.
What is it. Obviously, we are not talking about smoking cannabis. Ver-01 is a highly standardized pharmaceutical product that is an ‘complete spectrum extract’ obtained from a patented strain of Cannabis sativa called DKJ127.
But … What does ‘complete spectrum’ mean? With this term we refer to that in addition to its main psychoactive component, the THC, the extract contains a complex mixture and characterized by other compounds of the plant like others Cannabinoids (Cannabigerol or Cannabidiol), Terpenos and flavonoids. This integral composition could be key in its efficacy and tolerability profile.
Methodology. There is a lot of fear around the ‘cannabis’ and the use that can be given because it logically He has long highlighted all the harmful effects that can have its consumption prolonged over time. But given the need to find a therapeutic alternative, a team of researchers evaluated the effectiveness of VER-01 in a phase 3 clinical trial. That is, the last stage before approved a medicine for commercialization.
To do this, a Multicentric studyrandomized and placebo controlled. That is, a group of 820 patients with this pathology were divided into two groups and in this way for 12 weeks 394 participants received VER-01, while 426 received an identical placebo in appearance and flavor.
Results. The study fulfilled the objective that had marked from the beginning. Patients who took VER -01 experienced an average pain reduction of -1.9 points on a scale from 0 to 10 on the NIR scale (numeric pain scale). On the other hand, for the placebo group there was also an improvement, but less accused of -1.4 points at the level of pain.
The question is … Has it been for the drug? Our “great friend” statistics tell us that it is a statistically significant result. And although the figure may seem modest, in the treatment of chronic pain these levels of improvement are that they are very relevant. In fact, the effects were even more pronounced in patients with severe pain and in those with a neuropathic pain component (caused by nerve damage) and which today is about all with gabapentin.
Benefits. In addition to the improvement in pain levels, there has also been an important improvement in the dream. Patients who received VER-01 as a treatment saw that the quality of sleep and their ability to do daily physical activity improved a lot. This is crucial, because they are classically the two aspects most affected by low back pain.
He does not stay here, since it was also determined that patients had a less need to resort to rescue medication compared to the placebo group. Something that also points us to the effect is more elongated.
Sure. One of the most important aspects when designing a new drug is that it is safe and can be tolerated. VER-01 treatment was well tolerated, and what is relevant is that no sign of abuse, dependence or symptoms of abstinence was detected, even after a sharp interruption of treatment.
Although it is not 100% safe, because as any medicine can have adverse effects. The positive thing is that the vast majority were mild to moderate and transitory intensity. The most common were dizziness, fatigue, nausea and dry mouth.
A hope. This study is one of the most rigorous to date on a medication based on cannabis for chronic pain. Its results show that Ver-01 not only provides a reduction means of pain, but also addresses other problems that are associated. By offering an effective therapeutic option, safe for long-term use and without the ghost of addiction, VER-01 is emerging as a fundamental tool in the future of pain management.
It still remains for the market to need to have the final approval of the FDA and subsequently its arrival to the rest of the markets, provided that the new comparative studies with other opioids are satisfactory. And it is that putting an investigation date is certainly very daring, but this treatment is closer than we think.
Images | Rick Proctor Sasun Boughdayan
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