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MONTREAL, Canada -- August 12, 2019 -- InvestorsHub NewsWire --
Relevium Technologies Inc. (TSX.V: “RLV”,
OTCQB: “RLLVF”
and Frankfurt: “6BX”)
Source: This article appeared
in Investing News Network
Research into the therapeutic benefits of cannabis is prompting a
paradigm shift in many sectors of the healthcare industry. What
about medical cannabinoids in pediatric care?
When she was just seven months old in June 2013, Sophie Ryan’s parents learned their daughter
had an inoperable optic pathway glioma brain tumor. Doctors
outlined a 13 month protocol of chemotherapy that even then would
only manage to shrink the tumor marginally. Fortunately, Tracy and
Josh Ryan learned about the upcoming filming of a documentary about
cannabinoids and pediatric cancer patients. In the Netflix
documentary Weed the People, viewers can follow Sophie and her
parents as they embark on a 5 year journey using cannabinoid-based
treatments alongside chemotherapy.
According to an article in Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience,
“accumulating evidence indicates that cannabinoids have potent
anti-tumor functions and might be used successfully in the
treatment of (Glioblastoma).” Glioblastoma is the deadliest of
brain tumors.
Today, Sophie is in school with children her own age and “doing
absolutely amazing,” Tracy Ryan told High Times.
“Her tumor has a 90 percent survival rate, but an 85 percent
recurrence rate, so treatment can go on for years.” Yet, throughout
her four chemotherapies, Sophie hasn’t had to struggle with the
side effects most cancer-stricken kids must endure, including
dramatic hair loss, nausea and loss of appetite.
In fact, Tracy reported Sophie has had few side effects, only
experiencing occasional nausea. “Once again, (she’s) leaving her
doctors surprised,” Tracy said. Sophie is participating in an
ongoing natural killer cell research study at one of Southern
California’s top universities. Tracy Ryan is now the CEO of
Cannakids, a California-based brand that supplies medical cannabis
oil tinctures and cannabis products to patients of all ages.
Medical cannabinoids and the human endocannabinoid system
The cannabis plant contains a variety of chemicals known as
cannabinoids. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its non-psychoactive
cousin cannabidiol (CBD) are just two such chemical compounds.
Cannabinoids are also produced naturally in the human body and act
on the endocannabinoid system, which is a part of the
central nervous system and manages several important biological
functions including pain-sensation, memory, mood, muscle relaxation
and inflammation, nausea and more.
A series of cannabinoid receptors, known as CB1 and CB2 receptors,
are found throughout the brain and nervous system, and the body’s
naturally produced endocannabinoids react with these receptors to
maintain homeostasis. The endocannabinoid system can also receive
external cannabinoids, such as CBD and THC, and harness their
therapeutic potential to treat imbalances. Some CBD product
companies use CBD derived from the hemp plant, a member of the
cannabis sativa family that contains 0.3 percent or less THC. This
allows companies to provide the medicinal benefits of cannabis
without the euphoric high that can complicate medical uses.
CBD and THC react with the endocannabinoid system in different
ways. THC binds with both the CB1 and CB2 receptors, while CBD only
binds with CB2 ones. CB1 receptors are mostly found in the brain,
hence the characteristic psychoactive effects of THC. CBD, on the
other hand, interacts with receptors indirectly by affecting the
way other compounds interact with them, and can increase the body’s
production of endocannabinoids and trigger the body to use more of
them.
Medical cannabinoids and pediatric epilepsy
Sophie’s story is much like the story of another little girl whose
struggle with a debilitating illness in 2011 opened the door for
the use of cannabinoids in medicine. In Colorado,
five-year-old Charlotte Figi was suffering from Dravet
Syndrome, a rare form of drug-resistant epilepsy that was, despite
treatment, causing her upwards of 300 grand mal seizures each week,
some of which lasted two to four hours. Grand mal seizures are
characterized by a loss of consciousness and violent muscle
contractions. As a result, Charlotte was unable to walk, talk and
eat properly. Her heart had stopped several times, with her mother
having to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation while waiting
for paramedics to arrive.
Doctors told her parents there was nothing more they could do for
Charlotte. With her quality of life rapidly declining, the family
turned to CBD to treat their daughter’s epilepsy, something that
was extremely controversial at the time. In 2013, Charlotte became
the youngest patient ever to be granted a medical marijuana card.
Surprisingly, the treatment cut her seizures down by greater than 90 percent. The high CBD, low THC
cannabis strain used in her treatment is now named Charlotte’s Web.
“Stories like Charlotte’s have prompted parents across the country
in similar situations to move their families across the country to
gain access to these products,” according to an article published in The
Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
The media focus on Charlotte’s story brought global attention to
the possible implications of CBD as medicine. Most patients with
Dravet must use a cocktail of drugs to manage seizures, many of
which work poorly or not at all, as was the case for Charlotte. To
make matters worse, the side effects of anti-epileptic drugs can be
as dangerous as the disorder.
Research shows that cannabinoids may be
effective in treating epilepsy because of their ability to help
modulate the endocannabinoid system. CBD halts the degradation of
the endocannabinoid anandamide, and doing so could have a role in
inhibiting seizures. In 2016, Israeli researchers found
that 89 percent of the children in their study with
drug-resistance epilepsy (DRE) and Dravet syndrome like Charlotte
saw a reduction in seizure frequency with the use of cannabis oil
that had a 20:1 ratio of CBD to THC.
More recent research into the use of cannabinoid combo therapies
found that CBD/THC combo treatments may have superior anticonvulsant effects in
comparison to CBD-only treatments, even with a minimal dose of THC.
A 2018 study conducted by the Canada-based Hospital for Sick
Children examined the dosing and tolerability of a CBD/THC
containing product in children with Dravet Syndrome. “Our study
adds to a growing body of evidence that cannabinoids can exert
anti-seizure effects and are safe and tolerable in treating
pediatric DRE,” said Dr. Blathnaid McCoy, staff neurologist at
the hospital. The THC content is low enough not to have
psychoactive effects while providing therapeutic benefits. The
presence of CBD is also known to decrease the psychoactive effects
of THC.
The taboos surrounding cannabis consumption are beginning to
disappear as scientific and regulatory bodies start to accept
cannabinoids as pediatric medicine. In June 2018, the US Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) announced its first approval of a drug derived from
cannabis. The FDA gave the green light to GW Pharmaceuticals’
(NASDAQ:GWPH) Epidiolex, a liquid CBD product, for the
treatment of seizures associated with Dravet syndrome and another
severe form of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Epidiolex can be
administered to patients as young as two years old. In May 2019,
the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) revised its policy
on medical cannabis products to allow children to
bring FDA-approved cannabinoid-based treatments in both their
checked and carry-on luggage.
“This is a developing area of pediatric science. The main issue in
using cannabinoid therapy to help support better health in children
is perception. Parents, educators and regulators are understandably
extremely cautious when it comes to medications and supplements for
children. That said, children today are prescribed pharma products that although
effective in treating illness also have many adverse side effects,”
Aurelio Useche, CEO of Relevium Technologies (TSXV:RLV,OTCQB:RLLVF;FWB:6BX), told the
Investing News Network. Relevium subsidiary Biocannabix Health
recently acquired the exclusive Canadian licensing
rights for Cannakids IP cannabinoid formulations. “The next
frontier will be understanding the effects of plant genetics in
conjunction with a better understanding of the individual needs of
each child’s endocannabinoid systems to bring balance to their
overall health,” added Useche.
Takeaway
The spread of medical cannabis legalization worldwide has
dramatically increased the ability of clinical researchers to study
the therapeutic effects of the plant. Perhaps the most promising
research to date has been in the field of pediatrics. This clinical
based evidence is, in turn, helping to erode the stigma associated
with cannabis, opening the door to a wider range of applications
for cannabinoids in pediatric medicine.
This article appeared in Investing News
Network.
This INNSpired article provides
information which was sourced by the Investing News Network (INN)
and approved by Relevium Technologies in order to help investors learn more
about the company. Relevium Technologies is a client of INN. The company’s
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article.
This INNSpired article was written
according to INN editorial standards to educate
investors.
INN does not provide investment advice and
the information on this profile should not be considered a
recommendation to buy or sell any security. INN does not endorse or
recommend the business, products, services or securities of any
company profiled.
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information purposes only and is not to be construed as an offer or
solicitation for the sale or purchase of securities. Readers should
conduct their own research for all information publicly available
concerning the company. Prior to making any investment decision, it
is recommended that readers consult directly with Relevium Technologies and seek advice from a qualified
investment advisor.
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