A recently published study suggests cannabis could be a useful and safer tool for the treatment of chronic low back pain (CLBP).
Chronic low back pain affects over half a billion people worldwide, with current conventional treatments offering limited efficacy along with significant risks; particularly in relation to the use of opioid-based treatments.
In this separate, earlier study, 61% of CLBP patients received at least one opioid prescription in the year surrounding the first visit. Of that group, 18.8% of all patients with back pain had an episode of long-term opioid use during that year, leading to the risk, among other issues, of tolerance and dependence.
As for opioid alternatives, cannabis may prove to be suitable for some chronic lower back pain patients.
To explore this, researchers from universities in Vienna and Germany carried out a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of VER-01 — a standardized, full-spectrum cannabis extract from the cannabis sativa DKJ127 strain. A full spectrum cannabis extract contains all the naturally occurring cannabinoids in the plant.
820 adults were enrolled in the study, which involved:
- A double-blind 12-week treatment phase (phase A)
- A 6-month open-label extension (phase B)
- Either a 6-month continuation (phase C) or randomized withdrawal (phase D).
The study met its primary endpoint in phase A, with a mean pain reduction of −1.9 NRS points in the VER-01 group. In phase B, pain further decreased to −2.9 NRS points, with these effects sustained through phase C. Phase D did not meet its primary endpoint; and interestingly, pain increased significantly more with placebo upon withdrawal.
Adverse events, which were mostly mild to moderate and temporary, were higher with VER-01 than with placebo (83.3% versus 67.3%), but it was generally well-tolerated, with no signs of dependence or withdrawal.
The researchers state:
“The results of the VER-CLBP-001 trial demonstrate that VER-01 provides meaningful pain reduction compared to the placebo, accompanied by distinct improvements in physical function and sleep quality, two key factors that contribute to participants perceiving the effects of VER-01 as clinically meaningful. Additionally, participants in the VER-01 arm required substantially lower rescue medication use less rescue medication.”
The research has been published in the journal Nature Medicine.
On a related note, another study published last year found support for the short-term analgesic effects of THC and anxiolytic effects of CBD, with the researchers suggesting orally-administered THC and CBD should continue to be evaluated for both acute and extended relief from chronic low back pain.
