HEP C AND ANTIVIRAL/CANNABIS THERAPY

Hi All:

This research also gives us hope for more efficacy of cannabis to be adjunctive therapy for toxic antiviral treatment side-effects for many ailments, including Hep C. Ran across the article in a 9.17.06 issue of the IAMC Bulletin. Hope the info may help someone!

Peace,
Nan

1.

Science: Cannabis use improves outcome of antiviral treatment
in patients with hepatitis C

Drug addicts who are infected with hepatitis C virus may
continue their medication until the planned treatment end more
often if they use cannabis and may have a better treatment
outcome, scientists of the University of California reported in the
European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Cannabis may help them tolerate the side effects of the antivirals,
which can clear the virus but often cause fevers, chills, and
muscle and joint aches, the researchers said. 

Dr. Diana Sylvestre and colleagues tested 71 patients given
interferon and ribavirin to treat their hepatitis C. Interferon
boosts the immune response and ribavirin attacks the virus. 22
of them (31 per cent) also used cannabis. 24 per cent of all
patients discontinued therapy early, among them only one
cannabis user but 16 non-users. About half of the cannabis users
(54 per cent) were successfully treated with the medication,
which means that the virus was no longer detectable, compared
to only 18 per cent of the control group. And just 14 per cent of
the cannabis users relapsed, compared to 61 per cent of non-
users. Relapse means that the hepatitis C virus was detectable
again after a while.

Researchers concluded that these "results suggest that modest
cannabis use may offer symptomatic and virological benefit to
some patients undergoing HCV treatment by helping them
maintain adherence to the challenging medication regimen."

(Sources: Reuters of 13 September 2006; Sylvestre DL,
Clements BJ, Malibu Y. Cannabis use improves retention and
virological outcomes in patients treated for hepatitis C. Eur J
Gastroenterol Hepatol 2006;18(10):1057-63.)