CBD oil reduced seizures by more than half in four of eight infants with treatment-resistant West syndrome
In eight infants with West syndrome who had failed all other treatments, CBD-enriched cannabis oil reduced seizures by more than 50% in four patients, with mild and transient side effects.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Of 8 children with treatment-resistant West syndrome treated with CBD:THC (25:1 ratio), 2 had 75-99% seizure reduction, 2 had 50-74% reduction, 3 had less than 50% reduction, and 1 had no change. EEG abnormalities improved in 7 of 8 patients. Side effects were mild: somnolence (1), nausea/vomiting (1), irritability (1).
Key Numbers
8 patients; ages 16-22 months; CBD:THC ratio 25:1; median CBD dose 12 mg/kg/day; mean baseline 63 seizures/day; 50% had >50% seizure reduction; 6-13 months follow-up
How They Did This
Retrospective analysis of 8 patients (6 female, 2 male) with West syndrome refractory to antiseizure medications and ketogenic diet, treated with CBD-enriched cannabis oil (25:1 CBD:THC) at a single center from May 2020 to March 2021.
Why This Research Matters
West syndrome is a devastating infantile epilepsy with limited treatment options. When standard medications and ketogenic diet fail, families have few alternatives. This data suggests CBD may offer meaningful seizure reduction for some of these patients.
The Bigger Picture
This adds to growing evidence that CBD can help treatment-resistant epilepsy syndromes beyond Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut, which are the only FDA-approved indications.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Very small case series (8 patients), no control group, retrospective design, single center, variable follow-up periods, concurrent antiseizure medications continued.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would a controlled trial confirm these findings?
- ?Is the 25:1 CBD:THC ratio optimal?
- ?What predicts which West syndrome patients will respond to CBD?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 50% of patients achieved more than 50% seizure reduction
- Evidence Grade:
- Very small retrospective case series without controls
- Study Age:
- Published in 2021. CBD for infantile epilepsy syndromes beyond FDA-approved indications continues to be studied.
- Original Title:
- Cannabidiol-enriched medical cannabis as add-on therapy in children with treatment-resistant West syndrome: A study of eight patients.
- Published In:
- Seizure, 92, 238-243 (2021)
- Authors:
- Caraballo, Roberto(5), Valenzuela, Gabriela Reyes
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03046
Evidence Hierarchy
Describes what happened to one person or a small group.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Can CBD help with West syndrome?
In this small study of 8 treatment-resistant infants, half achieved more than 50% seizure reduction with CBD oil. Side effects were mild. However, a controlled trial is needed to confirm these findings.
What dose of CBD was used?
The median dose was 12 mg/kg/day of a CBD-enriched cannabis oil with a 25:1 CBD to THC ratio. Doses ranged from 2 to 25 mg/kg/day, starting at 2 mg/kg/day and titrating upward.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03046APA
Caraballo, Roberto; Valenzuela, Gabriela Reyes. (2021). Cannabidiol-enriched medical cannabis as add-on therapy in children with treatment-resistant West syndrome: A study of eight patients.. Seizure, 92, 238-243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seizure.2021.10.002
MLA
Caraballo, Roberto, et al. "Cannabidiol-enriched medical cannabis as add-on therapy in children with treatment-resistant West syndrome: A study of eight patients.." Seizure, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seizure.2021.10.002
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabidiol-enriched medical cannabis as add-on therapy in c..." RTHC-03046. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/caraballo-2021-cannabidiolenriched-medical-cannabis-as
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.