Medical Cannabis for the Treatment of Migraine in Adults: A Review of the Evidence
BackgroundMedical cannabis (MC) has been hypothesized as an alternative therapy for migraines, given the undesirable side effects of current migraine medications. The objective of this review was to assess the effectiveness and safety of MC in the treatment of migraine in adults.MethodsWe searched P...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Neurology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2022.871187/full |
| _version_ | 1817990607527739392 |
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| author | Babasola O. Okusanya Breanne E. Lott John Ehiri Jean McClelland Cecilia Rosales |
| author_facet | Babasola O. Okusanya Breanne E. Lott John Ehiri Jean McClelland Cecilia Rosales |
| author_sort | Babasola O. Okusanya |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundMedical cannabis (MC) has been hypothesized as an alternative therapy for migraines, given the undesirable side effects of current migraine medications. The objective of this review was to assess the effectiveness and safety of MC in the treatment of migraine in adults.MethodsWe searched PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science for eligible studies in adults aged 18 years and older. Two reviewers independently screened studies for eligibility. A narrative synthesis of the included studies was conducted.ResultsA total of 12 publications involving 1,980 participants in Italy and the United States of America were included.Medical cannabis significantly reduced nausea and vomiting associated with migraine attacks after 6 months of use. Also, MC reduced the number of days of migraine after 30 days, and the frequency of migraine headaches per month. MC was 51% more effective in reducing migraines than non-cannabis products. Compared to amitriptyline, MC aborted migraine headaches in some (11.6%) users and reduced migraine frequency. While the use of MC for migraines was associated with the occurrence of medication overuse headaches (MOH), and the adverse events were mostly mild and occurred in 43.75% of patients who used oral cannabinoid preparations.ConclusionsThere is promising evidence that MC may have a beneficial effect on the onset and duration of migraine headaches in adults. However, well-designed experimental studies that assess MC's effectiveness and safety for treating migraine in adults are needed to support this hypothesis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T01:01:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6691d1418b0d4dcf8b68af8deffe6eee |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-2295 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T01:01:29Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Neurology |
| spelling | doaj.art-6691d1418b0d4dcf8b68af8deffe6eee2022-12-22T02:21:23ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neurology1664-22952022-05-011310.3389/fneur.2022.871187871187Medical Cannabis for the Treatment of Migraine in Adults: A Review of the EvidenceBabasola O. Okusanya0Breanne E. Lott1John Ehiri2Jean McClelland3Cecilia Rosales4Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United StatesDepartment of Health Promotion Sciences, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United StatesDepartment of Health Promotion Sciences, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United StatesHealth Sciences Library, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United StatesDivision of Public Health Practice and Translational Research, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, United StatesBackgroundMedical cannabis (MC) has been hypothesized as an alternative therapy for migraines, given the undesirable side effects of current migraine medications. The objective of this review was to assess the effectiveness and safety of MC in the treatment of migraine in adults.MethodsWe searched PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science for eligible studies in adults aged 18 years and older. Two reviewers independently screened studies for eligibility. A narrative synthesis of the included studies was conducted.ResultsA total of 12 publications involving 1,980 participants in Italy and the United States of America were included.Medical cannabis significantly reduced nausea and vomiting associated with migraine attacks after 6 months of use. Also, MC reduced the number of days of migraine after 30 days, and the frequency of migraine headaches per month. MC was 51% more effective in reducing migraines than non-cannabis products. Compared to amitriptyline, MC aborted migraine headaches in some (11.6%) users and reduced migraine frequency. While the use of MC for migraines was associated with the occurrence of medication overuse headaches (MOH), and the adverse events were mostly mild and occurred in 43.75% of patients who used oral cannabinoid preparations.ConclusionsThere is promising evidence that MC may have a beneficial effect on the onset and duration of migraine headaches in adults. However, well-designed experimental studies that assess MC's effectiveness and safety for treating migraine in adults are needed to support this hypothesis.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2022.871187/fullmigraineheadachesmedical marijuanamedical cannabiscannabinoids |
| spellingShingle | Babasola O. Okusanya Breanne E. Lott John Ehiri Jean McClelland Cecilia Rosales Medical Cannabis for the Treatment of Migraine in Adults: A Review of the Evidence Frontiers in Neurology migraine headaches medical marijuana medical cannabis cannabinoids |
| title | Medical Cannabis for the Treatment of Migraine in Adults: A Review of the Evidence |
| title_full | Medical Cannabis for the Treatment of Migraine in Adults: A Review of the Evidence |
| title_fullStr | Medical Cannabis for the Treatment of Migraine in Adults: A Review of the Evidence |
| title_full_unstemmed | Medical Cannabis for the Treatment of Migraine in Adults: A Review of the Evidence |
| title_short | Medical Cannabis for the Treatment of Migraine in Adults: A Review of the Evidence |
| title_sort | medical cannabis for the treatment of migraine in adults a review of the evidence |
| topic | migraine headaches medical marijuana medical cannabis cannabinoids |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2022.871187/full |
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