Cannabis effective in treatment of post-op pain
A study at Imperial College has shown cannabis to be effective at relieving post-operative pain.
The trial, carried out by researchers based at Imperial and led by Dr Anita Holdcroft, showed that administering Cannador (an extract of the cannabis plant) can be beneficial to patients suffering from acute pain following surgery.
Whilst this is not the first study into the use of cannabinoids in cases of acute pain, it follows widespread research into the effect of Cannabis in various types of pain: mainly into chronic pain relief, such as multiple schlerosis (MS).
Patients at hospitals all over London (including Chelsea & Westminster and Charing Cross) were given Cannador in a single pill dose of 5, 10, or 15mg immediately following an operation. The test subjects with larger doses reported a decrease in pain and an increase in side effects (such as nausea and an increased heart rate). All patients receiving a 5mg dose requested additional pain relief. However, only half of patients receiving the 10mg requested additional medication; and of patients given 15mg, three-quarters required no additional pain relief whatsoever.
The extract targets the brain's natural cannabinoid system to relieve pain, in similar way to morphine mimicking the opiates that naturally occur in the body. When compared to morphine (the conventional treatment for acute pain), the major side effects are less dangerous and the drug is far safer. Cannabis is most notorious for its recreational use, but this involves taking a huge overdose of the substance, whereas in the levels prescribed it has a far more beneficial effect.
Following successful human trials and a "mountain" of animal trial data, there are clear benefits and uses for cannabis-based treatments. The lead researcher, Dr Anita Holdcroft, said that this approach has the "potential to become part of normal post-operative care".
However, licensed Cannabinoid drugs aren't likely to be available for many years, if ever. A special Home Office licence is required to carry out trials of this nature, and cannabis is still an illegal substance.
As Dr Holdcroft states: "They're focussing on MS even though it's proven to work on acute pain." This is mainly due to the few available treatments that provide pain-relief for MS, whereas there are several other medications which treat acute pain, and not enough money to make its benefits available for acute sufferers.
