Abstract
The first plant-derived, purified pharmaceutical-grade cannabidiol (CBD) medication, Epidiolex, was approved in the United States by the FDA on June 25, 2018. Its approval for patients ≥ 2 years of age with Dravet syndrome (DS) or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) markedly altered the treatment of medically refractory seizures in these disorders. This state-of-the-art review will discuss the history of CBD, its current pharmacology and toxicology, evidence supporting its use in a variety of epileptic syndromes, common side effects and adverse effects, and pharmacokinetically based drug-drug interactions. Owing to the importance in considering side effects, adverse effects, and drug-drug interactions in patients with medically refractory epilepsy syndromes, this review will take a deeper look into the nuances of the above within a clinical context, as compared to the other antiepileptic medications. Furthermore, despite the limited data regarding clinically significant drug-drug interactions, potential pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions with CBD and other antiepileptics are theorized on the basis of their metabolic pathways. The article will further elucidate future research in terms of long-term efficacy, safety, and drug interactions that is critical to addressing unanswered questions relevant to clinical practice.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 485-499 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2020 |
Keywords
- Antiepileptics
- CBD
- Cannabidiol
- Epilepsy
- Lennox-Gastaut, Dravet syndrome
- Pediatrics
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Pharmacology (medical)