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Updated: Oct 2, 2025

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Published on: December 29, 2021
Use of cannabidiol in the treatment of epilepsy
Maria Mazurkiewicz-Bełdzińska1, Marta Zawadzka2
1Department of Developmental Neurology, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland.
Introduction:
Cannabis sativa has been cultivated for human use for about 5,000 years, and has likewise been used in the treatment of epilepsy for thousands of years.
State Of The Art:
Cannabidiol (CBD), which was isolated from cannabis sativa in 1940, has an anti-seizure effect and no psychoactive activity. Its effectiveness in reducing various types of seizures has been proven in animal seizure and epilepsy models. Recent randomised, placebo-controlled trials have confirmed its effectiveness in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.
Clinical Implications:
The aim of this position paper was to present the specific mechanism of CBD's anti-seizure action and current indications for CBD's use in epilepsy. The only cannabis-derived drug that has successfully passed clinical trials and has obtained United States Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency approval for epilepsy is Epidiolex®. This paper presents the outcomes of the completed clinical trials with the use of this drug.
Future Directions:
CBD may be an effective drug in drug-resistant epilepsy, particularly in Dravet Syndrome, Lennox- Gastaut Syndrome and seizures associated with tuberous sclerosis complex. Additional randomised, placebo-controlled studies with CBD are needed.
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