Researchers developed a novel class of CBD like compounds which they claim are better at treating epilepsy. They also say that these compounds promote brain cell growth. The federally-funded study was conducted by scientists who extracted the compounds from caraway seeds, a spice commonly found in kitchens.
University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) psychology students and faculty took the non-cannabis spice—which is commonly incorporated into breads, stews, cheeses and more–and genetically manipulated it to create compounds that closely resemble the molecular structure of non-intoxicating CBD.
The researchers were particularly thrilled with the pre-clinical results from the trials that used caraway CBD. These compounds appear to be “more potent in stopping seizure” than cannabidiol naturally found in cannabis, while posing a low risk for adverse health effects.
“These fully synthetic compounds, made from a safe plant extract and free of THC, not only prevented seizures and reduced seizure-related deaths but also promoted healthier brain cell development—without the sedative side effects of current treatments,” Dustin Hines, study co-author and professor of neuroscience at UNLV, said in a press release.
The discovery was especially exciting because “Childhood seizures disorders often are resistant to drugs available, both the seizures as well as the frontline treatments can seriously affect the brain’s development, cognition and life quality.”
The study, published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology late last month, found the synthesized CBD from the seeds of caraway, which is also known as meridian fennel, “significantly reduces seizure-related mortality in both C57Bl6 adults and a developmental epilepsy mouse model, supporting its potential for further preclinical and clinical development.”
National Institutes of Health grants were used to support the research. These grants came from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, two NIH components.
They stressed that the research is only the beginning. The hope is to develop new epilepsy therapeutics based on these compounds. Epidiolex, a CBD-derived prescription drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is currently available.
Adriana Carrillo is a UNLV undergraduate student that participated in this study. She said, “This new class of therapies holds great promise for those patients who are exhausted by existing treatments, either due to side effects which can be debilitating or because they have not responded to the current available therapy.”
She said, “It’s encouraging to build the foundation of future treatment options which could offer families safer and effective choices one day.”
Caraway seeds alone do not contain CBD. So don’t think you can get the CBD-rich benefits by eating a lot of the spice. The seeds are “just the scaffolding to create it.”