bromide. The dogs’ owners and CSU medical staff did not know if the animal received CBD or a placebo until the study was complete.
The CBD product used in the study was derived from a hemp plant, which has 0.3 percent or less of the psychoactive component of cannabis, THC. The compound is not considered marijuana and can be used for research purposes based on the 2014 United States Department of Agriculture Farm Bill.
Findings highlight effect of CBD oil on seizure reduction
In addition to the distinct reduction of seizures in the group of dogs that received CBD oil. McGrath saw a significant association between the degree of seizure reduction and the amount of CBD concentration in the dog’s blood.
“We saw a correlation between how high the levels of CBD oil were in these dogs with how great the seizure reduction was,” McGrath said.
This finding led the neurologist to adjust the dose of CBD oil for dogs in a current clinical trial, which was launched in January 2018 and aims to enroll 60 client-owned dogs with epilepsy.
McGrath described the ongoing research as exciting and important.
“It’s really exciting that perhaps we can start looking at CBD in the future as an alternative to existing anticonvulsive drugs,” she said.
The study was funded by Applied
Basic Science Corporation, the company that produced the CBD-infused oil evaluated in the study. McGrath has a 5% ownership in the company.
The new clinical trial is funded by the AKC Canine Health Foundation.
McGrath hopes to launch a new study later this year to better zero in on the optimal dose of CBD to treat epilepsy in dogs.
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