Epidiolex (sometimes written Epidyolex) is a medication prescribed to treat certain forms of epilepsy. Approved in France since 2019 and recently partially reimbursed by the French social security system [1], Epidiolex is neither more nor less than CBD oil oil concentrated to 10%.
Naturally, people with epilepsy are looking to see if the CBD oils available over the counter can significantly reduce the number of epileptic seizures too.
Warning This article does not endorse self-medication. If you suffer from epilepsy, ask your doctor for advice.
Table of contents
What is epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a disease manifested by the chronic occurrence of epileptic seizuresThese are characterized by loss of consciousness (or not), associated with convulsions (or not) and sometimes loss of muscle tone.
In short, the type of epileptic seizures varies from one individual to anotheras do their severity, frequency and underlying causes. There are, in fact, many different forms of epilepsy.
- Most forms of epilepsy are completely benign. benignMost forms of epilepsy are completely benign, requiring no treatment as the seizures disappear on their own;
- Others are a little more serious, and although the brain is not damaged, quality of life is severely affected if appropriate treatment is not followed;
- Finally, certain syndromes, particularly those affecting childrencan cause serious cerebral lesions affecting the child's intellectual, psychological and social development.
However, whatever the epileptic syndrome in question, the physiological cause is the same: the cortex of the brain is subjected to electrical discharges electrical discharges that completely disorganize nerve impulses.
In concrete terms, during an epileptic seizure, the person's brain is momentarily in a chaotic state. in a chaotic stateThis triggers a variety of symptoms, depending on the area affected and the intensity of the discharges.
When is Epidiolex (CBD-based medication) effective?
Using CBD to treat epilepsy starts with little one Charlotte Figi. Suffering from Dravet syndrome, taking cannabis oil (containing 10% CBD and less than 0.2% THC) helped her go from 300 seizures/day to just 2 seizures/month. It was following the media coverage of her story that the medicinal properties of cannabis were recognized in the United States.
With government approval on its side, the scientific community has been able to take a closer look at the effects of CBD on people with epilepsy. They were able to demonstrate its effectiveness in the case of 3 specific forms of the disease [2] :
- Lennox-Gastaut syndrome Children treated with the CBD contained in Epidiolex have 42% fewer atonic seizures;
- Dravet syndrome In 40% of children, Epidiolex reduces the frequency of attacks by half;
- Finally, when epilepsy is refractory refractory and idiopathic (with no apparent cause and no response to treatment), half of all people (adults and children) have 50% fewer seizures.
Unfortunately, other forms of epilepsy have not been have not been the subject of targeted studiesIt is therefore impossible to predict the effects of Epidiolex on these patients.
Can CBD oil help reduce epileptic seizures?
In the case of Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut and refractory epilepsy, CBD oil appears to be effective. In any case, this is what the above-mentioned studies tend to demonstrate.
What's more, the more we learn about CBD's action on our our endocannabinoid systemsystem, the better we understand its anti-epileptic properties.
The anti-epileptic properties of CBD
CBD, like all cannabis cannabinoids, has the ability to to bind to the neurotransmitters of our endocannabinoid system.
The purpose of the endocannabinoid system is to ensure homeostasisthat is, our body's equilibrium. Specifically, in the event of imbalance or dysfunction, these neurotransmitters activate and/or inhibit certain physiological processes in order to restore this balance.
Certain neurotransmitters of the endocannabinoid system are housed in the brain in the brain (CB1)while others (TRPV1) influence neuronal excitability. CBD, by acting directly or indirectly on these receptors, could help reduce the frequency of epileptic seizures.
Although CBD's mechanisms of action are not fully understood, researchers have been able to show that taking CBD helps to
- Reduce epileptic seizures via its action on TRPV1 receptors;
- Limiting neuronal inflammationand thus their deterioration (neuroprotective action) [3] ;
- Reduce muscular convulsions in rats with epilepsy [4],
Warnings ...
Despite the proven efficacy of Epidiolex, it must be remembered that Epidiolex is a drug prescribed by a doctor buying CBD oil over the counter, and testing its anti-epileptic effects without medical advice, is absolutely absolutely not recommended.
In addition to interactions and the possible complications associated with the wrong dosage, not all CBD oils are equal in terms of quality! So, if you'd like to try CBD oil for epilepsy, we recommend :
- Talk to your doctor ;
- From choose a high-quality CBD oil Made in France, organically, and supplied with analysis reports proving its composition.
Epilepsy and CBD oil: buying advice
As we said just now, it's important to choose a good quality CBD oil.
The CBD oils we offer in our catalog are :
- Made in France from hemp flowers organically grown in the north of France;
- Produced using our own processin which we take care to extract the cannabinoids and terpenes without damaging them;
- Free of products for your health ;
- Supplied with an independent laboratory analysis reportproof of CBD content and oil composition.
On the other hand, when it comes to choosing an oil to treat epilepsy, we recommend our 10% CBD oil, as this is the same dosage as Epidiolex.
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CBD Oil 20% Full Spectrum - Nobilis Product
29,90 €Our Full Spectrum 20% CBD oil is a concentrate of nature and French know-how. Derived from hemp grown without GMOs or additives, it contains twice the concentration of cannabidiol as our 10% formula, while retaining all the cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids naturally present in the plant.
Thanks to theenhanced entourage effect, this oil promotes a deeper action on stress, body tension and sleep quality.
Its 10 ml format with pipette allows precise, easy dosing, even at high concentrations.
This oil is :
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🇫🇷 Produced in our French laboratory, from hemp extraction to bottling, with full traceability
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🌿 Réalisée à partir de crude de CBD, pour conserver toute la richesse moléculaire du chanvre : CBD, CBG, CBN, THC < 0,3 %, flavonoïdes, terpènes
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✅ Analyzed with every batch by an independent laboratory, to guarantee consistent, uncompromising quality
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CBD Oil 10% Full Spectrum - Nobilis Product
24,90 €Discover our Full Spectrum 10% CBD oil from hemp grown in France, without additives or GMOs. Its richness in cannabinoids and terpenes guarantees an optimal surrounding effect for deep relaxation and natural well-being. Practical 10 ml bottle with pipette for precise dosage.
Our Full Spectrum 10% CBD oil is :
🇫🇷 Manufactured from A to Z (from hemp extraction to bottling) in our French laboratory.
🧪 Made with CBD crude to provide all the cannabinoids, flavonoids and terpenes.
✅ Analyzed by an independent laboratory for each batch to guarantee quality.
How to take CBD oil for epilepsy?
CBD products are not considered medicines. However, there is no official dosage. This is one of the reasons why it is not recommended to consume CBD oil when suffering from epilepsy without a doctor's advice.
In any case, in terms of dosage, we generally recommend starting with a low-concentration CBD oil (between 5 and 10%) and a small dose daily dose (3 to 5 drops/day). If no effect is observed, the dose can be gradually increased (approximately every 5 days), by a few drops/day.
CBD oil is not harmful to healthIts use is safe up to 1500 mg/day. Moreover, it has no serious side effects: it is neither addictive nor psychoactive). However, if you suffer from epilepsy, please seek the advice of your doctor.
Our sources
[1] LégiFrance
[2] What about cannabidiol (CBD) in the treatment of epilepsy? (Ligue Epilepsie)
[3] Cannabidiol: Pharmacology and potential therapeutic role in epilepsy and other neuropsychiatric disorders (PubMed)
[4] Cannabidiol Displays Antiepileptiform and Antiseizure Properties In Vitro and In Vivo (PubMed)