Skip to main content
PMC home page
British Journal of Pharmacology logoLink to British Journal of Pharmacology
. 1980 Mar;68(3):479–484. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1980.tb14562.x

Subacute cannabinoid treatment: anticonvulsant activity and withdrawal excitability in mice.

R Karler, S A Turkanis
PMCID: PMC2044209  PMID: 6301593

Abstract

1 The effects of subacute treatment with cannabidiol, delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta 9-THC), phenytoin and phenobarbitone on anticonvulsant activity and on withdrawal excitability in mice were compared in three electrically induced seizure-threshold tests. 2 In the maximal electroshock-threshold test, subacute treatment did not alter the anticonvulsant activity of cannabidiol, phenytoin or phenobarbitone, but tolerance developed to delta 9-THC. 3 In the 60 Hz electroshock-threshold test, the activity of delta 9-THC and cannabidiol did not change, but tolerance developed to phenobarbitone, and there was an increase in sensitivity to phenytoin. 4 In the 6 Hz electroshock-threshold test, there was an increase in sensitivity to both delta 9-THC and cannabidiol, there was tolerance to phenobarbitone, while the activity of phenytoin did not change. 5 Although tolerance developed in some of the seizure-threshold tests to delta 9-THC and phenobarbitone, tolerance to cannabidiol and phenytoin did not develop in any of the tests. 6 Hyperexcitability followed withdrawal from only delta 9-THC (6 Hz and 60 Hz electroshock-threshold tests) and phenobarbitone (maximal electroshock-threshold and 60 Hz electroshock-threshold tests). 7 The delta 9-THC withdrawal hyperexcitability suggests that the use of marihuana may jeopardize the control of seizures in epileptics.

Full text

PDF
479

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Consroe P. F., Wood G. C., Buchsbaum H. Anticonvulsant nature of marihuana smoking. JAMA. 1975 Oct 20;234(3):306–307. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Fried P. A., McIntyre D. C. Electrical and behavioral attenuation of the anti-convulsant properties of delta 9-TNC following chronic administrations. Psychopharmacologia. 1973 Jul 19;31(3):215–227. doi: 10.1007/BF00422512. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Garriott J. C., Forney R. B., Hughes F. W., Richards A. B. Pharmacologic properties of some cannabis related compounds. Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther. 1968 Feb;171(2):425–434. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Hollister L. E. Actions of various marihuana derivatives in man. Pharmacol Rev. 1971 Dec;23(4):349–357. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Hollister L. E. Cannabidiol and cannabinol in man. Experientia. 1973;29(7):825–826. doi: 10.1007/BF01946311. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Karler R., Cely W., Turkanis S. A. A study of the development of tolerance to an anticonvulsant effect of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol. Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol. 1974 Sep;9(1):23–39. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Karler R., Cely W., Turkanis S. A. A study of the relative anticonvulsant and toxic activities of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and its congeners. Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol. 1974 Feb;7(2):353–358. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Karler R., Cely W., Turkanis S. A. Anticonvulsant properties of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol and other cannabinoids. Life Sci. 1974 Sep 1;15(5):931–947. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(74)90009-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Karler R., Cely W., Turkanis S. A. The anticonvulsant activity of cannabidiol and cannabinol. Life Sci. 1973 Dec 1;13(11):1527–1531. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(73)90141-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Keeler M. H., Reifler C. B. Grand mal convulsions subsequent to marijuana use. Case report. Dis Nerv Syst. 1967 Jul;28(7 Pt 1):474–475. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Martin P., Consroe P. Cannabinoid induced behavioral convulsions in rabbits. Science. 1976 Nov 26;194(4268):965–967. doi: 10.1126/science.982057. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Perez-Reyes M., Timmons M. C., Davis K. H., Wall E. M. A comparison of the pharmacological activity in man of intravenously administered delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabinol, and cannabidiol. Experientia. 1973 Nov 15;29(11):1368–1369. doi: 10.1007/BF01922823. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Turkanis S. A., Cely W., Olsen D. M., Karler R. Anticonvulsant properties of cannabidiol. Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol. 1974 Jun;8(2):231–246. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Turkanis S. A., Chiu P., Borys H. K., Karler R. Influence of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol on photically evoked after-discharge potentials. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 1977 Apr 29;52(2):207–212. doi: 10.1007/BF00439112. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Pharmacology are provided here courtesy of The British Pharmacological Society

RESOURCES