Erfurt, Germany: The administration of the proprietary cannabis tincture Nabiximols (a/k/a Sativex) is associated with a “dramatic decrease” in tic-related symptoms in a patient with Tourette Syndrome (TS), according to a case report published in the journal Tremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements.
A pair of German researchers documented the treatment of a 25-year-old male TS patient with Nabiximols. The patient had previously reported consuming whole-plant cannabis to manage his TS symptoms. Symptoms had returned after he ceased using the plant.
Following at least twice-daily treatment with Nabiximols, the patient experienced a “marked tic reduction … without experiencing relevant side effects.” The acute effects of the drug lasted about four hours.
Authors concluded: “Based on our case, and in line with previous reports, we propose that buccal Nabiximols might be an effective addition to ‘acute’ or ‘as required’ tic treatment under specialist guidance, especially for predictable situations in the short term when severely disabling or stigmatizing tics are anticipated.”
Sativex is a whole-plant cannabis tincture containing nearly equal ratios of THC and CBD. It is available via prescription in numerous nations, but not in the United States, and it is primarily utilized for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.
Several small studies and case-reports have documented the efficacy of either inhaled cannabis or oral THC in mitigating symptoms in TS patients. In a recent survey of TS patients with experience using either herbal cannabis or oral cannabinoids, those who expressed a preference between the two products said that inhaled cannabis provided superior therapeutic benefits.
Full text of the study, “Tic reduction in adult onset Gilles De La Tourette syndrome using as required Nabiximols spray,” appears in Tremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements. Additional information regarding cannabis and TS is available from NORML.