Delta-8-THC Completely Prevented Vomiting in Children Undergoing Cancer Treatment With Negligible Side Effects
Delta-8-THC completely prevented vomiting in eight children aged 3-13 undergoing cancer chemotherapy across 480 treatments over up to eight months, with negligible side effects.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Researchers administered delta-8-THC, a cannabinoid with lower psychoactive potency than the more familiar delta-9-THC, to eight children with hematologic cancers. The children ranged from 3 to 13 years old and were receiving various chemotherapy drugs.
Delta-8-THC was given orally in edible oil at a dose of 18 mg/m2 body surface area, starting two hours before each chemotherapy session and continuing every six hours for 24 hours. Some children received treatment for up to eight months.
The results were striking: vomiting was completely prevented across all 480 total treatments. The side effects observed were described as negligible. The researchers highlighted delta-8-THC as an efficient cannabinoid antiemetic for pediatric oncology, noting its advantage of lower psychoactive potency compared to delta-9-THC.
Key Numbers
Eight children aged 3-13. Dose: 18 mg/m2 in edible oil. 480 total treatments. Up to 8 months of treatment. 100% vomiting prevention. Negligible side effects.
How They Did This
Open-label pilot study with eight pediatric patients aged 3-13 with various hematologic cancers. Delta-8-THC (18 mg/m2) given orally in edible oil starting 2 hours before chemotherapy and continuing every 6 hours for 24 hours. Treatment duration: up to 8 months.
Why This Research Matters
This study demonstrated 100% efficacy against chemotherapy-induced vomiting in children with minimal side effects, a remarkable result that was particularly notable because it used delta-8-THC, a less psychoactive cannabinoid that could potentially offer antiemetic benefits without the psychoactive burden of delta-9-THC.
The Bigger Picture
This study is frequently cited in discussions about delta-8-THC, which has recently become commercially available in the United States through a legal loophole. The study demonstrated its therapeutic potential decades before it became a consumer product, providing some of the strongest clinical evidence for delta-8-THC's efficacy.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Open-label design without placebo control. Only eight patients. The "negligible" side effects were not described in detail. The study was conducted by researchers who included the scientist who first identified THC (Mechoulam), which adds credibility but also potential bias.
Questions This Raises
- ?Why has delta-8-THC not been developed further as a pharmaceutical antiemetic?
- ?How does it compare to modern antiemetics like ondansetron in children?
- ?Could delta-8-THC offer advantages over delta-9-THC for other medical applications?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 100% vomiting prevention across 480 treatments in children
- Evidence Grade:
- A small open-label pilot study without placebo control. The 100% efficacy across 480 treatments is striking but unblinded observation limits the evidence strength.
- Study Age:
- Published in 1995, co-authored by Raphael Mechoulam, who first synthesized THC. Delta-8-THC has since become widely available commercially but without further large clinical trials.
- Original Title:
- An efficient new cannabinoid antiemetic in pediatric oncology.
- Published In:
- Life sciences, 56(23-24), 2097-102 (1995)
- Authors:
- Abrahamov, A, Abrahamov, A, Mechoulam, R(10)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-00052
Evidence Hierarchy
A small preliminary study to test whether a larger study is feasible.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Is delta-8-THC different from regular THC?
Yes. Delta-8-THC has lower psychoactive potency than delta-9-THC (the main psychoactive compound in cannabis) while retaining antiemetic effectiveness in this study.
Did it work for all the children?
Yes. Vomiting was completely prevented in all eight children across all 480 treatments, with side effects described as negligible.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-00052APA
Abrahamov, A; Abrahamov, A; Mechoulam, R. (1995). An efficient new cannabinoid antiemetic in pediatric oncology.. Life sciences, 56(23-24), 2097-102.
MLA
Abrahamov, A, et al. "An efficient new cannabinoid antiemetic in pediatric oncology.." Life sciences, 1995.
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "An efficient new cannabinoid antiemetic in pediatric oncolog..." RTHC-00052. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/abrahamov-1995-an-efficient-new-cannabinoid
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.