Research

The cannabis plant contains over 85 cannabinoids. A Cannabinoid called Cannabidiol has anticonvulsant properties, amongst other health benefits. It does not produce a high and is not smoked. It is extracted from the cannabis plant and administered to children in an oil, commonly referred to as CBD oil. Charlotte's Web, also known as Realm Oil or Alepsia, is the most researched and clinically potent CBD oil on the market. It proves beneficial in treating some forms of intractable epilepsy. It also appears to reduce aggressive behaviors associated with severe autism. Charlotte's Web is produced by five brothers in Colorado and distributed by the non-profit organization Realm of Caring.


THC-A is the raw plant pre-cursor form of THC. THC-A appears to share the beneficial health properties of THC without the psycho-activity.  THC-A only converts to THC if the plant is dried or heated. Anecdotally, THC-A strain oil extracts are helpful to some children with seizures and in some with autism who do or do not have seizures. Some kids appear to do best on a combination of strains high in CBD and THC-A, while others seem to thrive most on one or the other. It's hard to tell which strain or combination of strains might work best for an individual patient, which is why full medical cannabis legislation is more ideal than CBD only laws. However, the editor recognizes that in some places progress will happen as a step process. Therefore, in the short term, she supports most state efforts toward CBD laws, but only when there is a long term strategy to legalize all medicinal strains.


The various cannabinoids in cannabis and hemp strains appear to work together in producing the medicinal effects. Isolating compounds does not appear to work as well as using whole plant strains.


The objective of this effort is to de-stigmatize medical cannabis oils for the benefit of children who need them. We tell the stories of children who benefit from the oils and share the plights of those who might but cannot access them because they live in prohibitive states. This page also shares information about campaigns to legalize medical cannabis oil extracts for autism and epilepsy at the state and national levels. Please come back often to learn how you can help.

This website is not affiliated with Realm of Caring. It is edited by Suzanne De Gregorio, mother of a child with Regressive Autism and epileptiform activity. Suzanne lives in Louisville, Kentucky. She can be contacted at cbdoilky@gmaildotcom.

Glossary of Terms:

Cannabidiol is a compound in the cannabis plant that has anticonvulsant properties.
CBD oils are extracts of hemp or hemp/marijuana hybrid strains that are high Cannabidiol, but not psychoactive.
Charlotte's Web is a specific brand of CBD oil extracted from a hemp strain.
Realm Oil and Alepsia are other names for Charlotte's Web.
MMJ is medical marijuana.
THC is the high producing property of cannabis that has been bred down to miniscule levels in Charlotte's Web and other high CBD hemp strains.
THC-A is the raw plant pre-cursor for of THC. THC-A shares the beneficial health properties of THC without the psycho-activity.  THC-A converts to THC when the plant is dried or heated.

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Studies on the Endocannabinoid System, Cannabinoids and Autism

J Autism Dev Disord. 2013 Nov;43(11):2686-95.


Cannabinoid Receptor Type 2, but not Type 1, is Up-Regulated in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Children Affected by Autistic Disorders.
 

A Link Between Autism and Cannabinoids (The Stanford Study) - The Scientist Magazine
Nature Communications; article 1080, Published in the journal Neuron

Uncoupling of the endocannabinoid signaling complex in a mouse model of
 fragile X syndrome
Eur J Neurosci. 2006 Apr;23(7):1944-8.

Variations in the human cannabinoid receptor (CNR1) gene modulate striatal responses to happy faces.


Cannabinoids Ameliorate Impairments Due To Chronic Stress To Synaptic Plasticity and Short-Term Memory
Journal Neuropsychopharmacology, 2/2013


Deficient Social and Play Behavior in Juvenile and Adult Rats After Neo-Natal Cortical Lesion: Effects of Chronic Pubertal Cannabinoid Treatment
Neuropschopharmacology, May 30, 2005


Would Some Cannabinoids Ameliorate Symptoms of Autism?
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, April 21, 2012

Evidence For A Common Endocannabinoid-Related Pathomechanism In Autism Spectrum Disorders
Neuron, May 8, 2013


Autism Associated Neuroligin-3 Mutations Commonly Disrupt Tonic Endocannabinoid Signaling
Neuron, May 8 2013

Targeting The Endocannabinoid System In The Treatment of Fragile X
Nat. Med, May 19, 2013


Variation In The Human Cannabinoid Receptor CNR1 Gene Modulates Gaze Duration For Happy Faces
Mol. Autism, January 29, 2011

Cannabinoid Receptor Type 1 Receptors on GABAergic vs. Glutamatergic Neurons Differentially Gate Sex Dependent Social Interest in Mice
European Journal of Neuroscience, 3 April, 2014


Mitochondria: A Possible Nexus for the Regulation of Energy Homeostasis by the Endocannabinoid System?
American Journal of Physiological Endocrine Metabolism, 6, May 2014

Neuroimmune Actions of Cannabinoids in Neurogenesis: Focus on interleukin 1B (IL-B) Signalling
Biochem Soc Trans, 2013, December

New Insights into Molecular Pathophysiology of Fragile X Syndrome and Therapeutic Perspective from the Animal Model
International Journal of Biochemical Cell Biology, 2014, May 14


The Effect of Cannabichromine on adult neural stem/progenitor cells
Neurochemistry International, 2013

(Not an autism study specifically, but suggests CBD may aide in brain development via stem cells.)

Case study report from Vienna
Suggests THC may help with the following autism symptoms:
hyperactivity, lethargy, irritability, stereotypy, and inappropriate speech.
Cannabinioids, 2010, 5(4);4-6

Neural Basis of Anxiolytic Effects of Cannabidiol (CBD) in Generalized Social Anxiety Disorder: A Preliminary Report
J. Psychopharmacol, 2011: Jan. 25
(Since social anxiety is an autism co-morbid)

The in vitro GcMAF Effects on Endocannabinoid System Transcriptionomics, Receptor Formation, and Cell Activity of Autism Derived Macrofages
Journal of Neuroinflamation, 2014 11:78

New insights into the molecular pathophysiology of fragile X syndrome and therapeutic perspective from animal model
Int Biochem Cell Biology, 2014 August


The Endocannabinoid System as it Relates to Autism - SCRIB


Autism Comorbid Conditions

ADHD

Loss of Striatal Cannabinoid CB1 Receptor Function Attention Deficit/Hyper-Activity Disorder Mice With Point Mutation of the Dopamine Transporter
European Journal Neuroscience, Nov. 2011


Cannabidiol and Clozapine Reverse MK-801 Induced Deficits in Social Interaction and Hyperactivity in Sprague-Dawley Rats
Journal Psychopharmacology, Oct 2012


Involvement of the Endocannabinoid System in Reward Processing in the Human Brain
Psychopharmacology, Febuary 2012


Cannabinioid Receptors in the Brain: Pharmacogenetics, Neuropharmacology, Neurotoxicity, and Potential Therapeutic Applications
International Review of Neurobiology, 2009


Mechanism of Endocannabinoid Inactivation: Biochemistry and Pharmacology
J Pharmacol Exp Ther, July, 2001


Studies on cannabinoids and the  anticonvulsant properties of cannabidiol in epilepsy

Epilepsy & Behavior Volume 29, Issue 3, December 2013, Pages 574–577

Report of a parent survey of cannabidiol-enriched cannabis use in pediatric treatment-resistant epilepsy
^a Department of Neurology, Stanford University, USA

 

Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol. 1975 Sep;12(1):1-15.

Anticonvulsant activity of four oxygenated cannabidiol derivatives.

Carlini EA, Mechoulam R, Lander N.

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Whole Cannabis Extract of High Concentration Cannabidoil May Calm Seizures in Highly Refractory Epilepsies
Margaret Gedde, MD, Phd, Edward Maa, MD
Presented to the American Epilepsy Society
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J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1977 Apr;201(1):26-32.

Cannabidiol--antiepileptic drug comparisons and interactions in experimentally induced seizures in rats.

Consroe P, Wolkin A.

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Pharmacology. 1980;21(3):175-85.

Chronic administration of cannabidiol to healthy volunteers and epileptic patients.

Cunha JM, Carlini EA, Pereira AE, Ramos OL, Pimentel C, Gagliardi R, Sanvito WL, Lander N, Mechoulam R.

 

J Clin Pharmacol. 1981 Aug-Sep;21(8-9 Suppl):449S-463S.

Electrophysiologic properties of the cannabinoids.

Turkanis SA, Karler R.

 

J Clin Pharmacol. 1981 Aug-Sep;21(8-9 Suppl):428S-436S.

Antiepileptic potential of cannabidiol analogs.

Consroe P, Martin A, Singh V.

 

J Clin Pharmacol. 1981 Aug-Sep;21(8-9 Suppl):437S-448S.

The cannabinoids as potential antiepileptics.

Karler R, Turkanis SA.

  

J Clin Pharmacol. 1981 Aug-Sep;21(8-9 Suppl):417S-427S.

Hypnotic and antiepileptic effects of cannabidiol.

Carlini EA, Cunha JM.

 

Eur J Pharmacol. 1982 Sep 24;83(3-4):293-8.

Effects of cannabidiol on behavioral seizures caused by convulsant drugs or current in mice.

Consroe P, Benedito MA, Leite JR, Carlini EA, Mechoulam R.

 

Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2004 Feb-Apr;25(1-2):40-4.

On the application of cannabis in paediatrics and epileptology.

Lorenz R.

 

Epilepsy Curr. 2004 May; 4(3): 93–95.

Cannabiniods: Defending the Epileptic Brain

 

Neuron. 2006 Aug 17;51(4):455-66.

The endocannabinoid system controls key epileptogenic circuits in the hippocampus.

Monory K, Massa F, Egertová M, Eder M, Blaudzun H, Westenbroek R, Kelsch W, Jacob W, Marsch R, Ekker M, Long J, Rubenstein JL, Goebbels S, Nave KA, During M, Klugmann M, Wölfel B, Dodt HU, Zieglgänsberger W, Wotjak CT, Mackie K, Elphick MR, Marsicano G, Lutz B.

 

Epilepsy Research 50 (2002) 301_/312

Characterization of pharmacoresistance to benzodiazepines in

the rat Li-pilocarpine model of status epilepticus

Dorothy M. Jones a, Nadia Esmaeil b, Stephen Maren a,c, Robert

L. Macdonald d,*

 

Eur J Pharmacol. 2007 Mar 8;558(1-3):52-9. Epub 2006 Nov 22.

Endocannabinoids block status epilepticus in cultured hippocampal neurons.

Deshpande LS, Blair RE, Ziobro JM, Sombati S, Martin BR, DeLorenzo RJ.

 

J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2010 Feb;332(2):569-77. doi: 10.1124/jpet.109.159145. Epub 2009 Nov 11.

Cannabidiol displays antiepileptiform and antiseizure properties in vitro and in vivo.

Jones NA, Hill AJ, Smith I, Bevan SA, Williams CM, Whalley BJ, Stephens GJ.

Cannabinoid-Mediated Inhibition of Recurrent Excitatory Circuitry in the Dentate Gyrus in a Mouse Model of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Bhaskaran, Muthu D.; Smith, Bret N.

PLoS ONE, Edited by Huibert D. Mansvelder, vol. 5, issue 5, p. e10683

Seizure. 2012 Jun;21(5):344-52. doi: 10.1016/j.seizure.2012.03.001. Epub 2012 Apr 19.

Cannabidiol exerts anti-convulsant effects in animal models of temporal lobe and partial seizures

Exp Neurol. 2013 Jun;244:43-50. doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2011.11.047. Epub 2011 Dec 9.

 

Exp Neurol. 2013 Jun;244:43-50. doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2011.11.047. Epub 2011 Dec 9.

Marijuana, endocannabinoids, and epilepsy: potential and challenges for improved therapeutic intervention.
Hofmann ME, Frazier CJ.
 

Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2013 Feb;75(2):323-33. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04341.x.

Cannabidiol for neurodegenerative disorders: important new clinical applications for this phytocannabinoid?

Fernández-Ruiz J, Sagredo O, Pazos MR, García C, Pertwee R, Mechoulam R, Martínez-Orgado J.

 

Effects of WIN 55,212-2 (A Non-Selective CB1 and CB2 Receptor Antagonist) on the Protective Factor of Various Classic Anti-Epileptic Drugs in the Mouse 6Hz Psychomotor Seizure Model
Journal of Neural Transmission, 2014

*Study suggests THC might enhance the action of certain anticonvulsants.


Cannabidiol: Pharmacological and Therapeutic Potential in Epilepsy and other Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Elepsia: The Journal of the International League Against Epilepsy, 22, May 2014


The Case for Medical Marijuana in Epilepsy
Elepsia: The Journal of the International League Against Epilepsy, 22, May 2014

Non-Psychoactive Plant Cannabinoids, Cannabidivarian (CBDV) and Cannabidiol (CBD), Activate and De-Sensitize Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 Channels in Vitro: Potential for the Treatment of Neuronal Hyperexcitability
ACS Chem Neuroscience, 2014 July 29

Medical Cannabis & Alzheimer's

2006: http://www.foxnews.com/story/2006/10/05/marijuana-key-ingredient-may-fight-alzheimer-disease/

2012: http://healthland.time.com/2012/10/29/how-cannabinoids-may-slow-brain-aging/

2013: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S104474311300064X

2014: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25024327#

2014: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24288245