Rats Rejoice as New Synthetic CBD Study by UC Davis Shows Effective Seizure Treatment

A recent study by the University of California, Davis, observed how a synthetic version of CBD treats seizures in rats. According to the research, a “synthetic, non-intoxicating analog of cannabidiol (CBD) is effective in treating seizures in rats.” Further, the synthetic version of the CBD was found to be easier to purify than plant extracts, thus making agricultural hemp cultivation unnecessary.

Mark Mascal, a UC Davis Department of Chemistry Professor stated in an article by Science Daily, that synthetic CBD is a “much safer drug than CBD, with no abuse potential and doesn't require the cultivation of hemp.

The research study observed how synthetic H2CBD compares to herbal CBD when administered to rats with induced seizes. The results showed that both were “found to be equally effective” in reducing both the severity and frequency of the seizures. More studies are currently being conducted by Mascal and his colleagues.

The use of CBD to treat seizures isn’t new. Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an herbal CBD extract, Epidiolex, for the treatment of seizure conditions. Keep in mind that there are many different types of seizures and the approved treatment does not treat all, a narrow type.

According to the FDA’s website, it’s approval of Epidiolex is for treatment of those with Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Billy Dunn, M.D., who directs the Division of Neurology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research stated In the release,

“The difficult-to-control seizures that patients with Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome experience have a profound impact on these patients’ quality of life” He added,

“In addition to another important treatment option for Lennox-Gastaut patients, this first-ever approval of a drug specifically for Dravet patients will provide a significant and needed improvement in the therapeutic approach to caring for people with this condition.”

Thus, there is still a great deal of research, testing, and clinical trials that need to be done to determine whether CBD – natural or synthetic – has an impact on other types of seizures and conditions. At this point, there is no conclusive evidence.