Researchers at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) have pioneered a novel class of compounds resembling cannabidiol (CBD), but sourced from a common kitchen spice: caraway seeds. Initial pre-clinical trials indicate that these innovative compounds might be more effective in managing epilepsy while also fostering brain cell growth.
The research team, consisting of psychology students and faculty members, utilized genetic manipulation techniques on caraway seeds to produce compounds that share structural similarities with non-intoxicating CBD. According to Dustin Hines, co-author of the study and a professor of neuroscience at UNLV, the caraway-derived CBD has demonstrated the ability to prevent seizures, decrease seizure-related fatalities, and enhance the growth of healthier brain cells. Notably, these effects occur without the sedative side effects often linked to existing epilepsy treatments.
Hines emphasized the significance of this finding, stating, “Childhood seizure disorders are often resistant to available drugs, and both the seizures and the current frontline therapies can severely affect brain development, cognition, and quality of life, making the discovery especially promising.” The study, which was published last month in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, reported substantial reductions in seizure-related mortality among both adult and developmental epilepsy mouse models, thus supporting the need for further preclinical and clinical trials.
This research has been made possible through funding from NIH grants provided by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, aiming to develop new therapeutic options for epilepsy. Currently, the only FDA-approved CBD-based medication, Epidiolex, is derived from cannabis.
Adriana Carrillo, a UNLV student involved in the research, remarked, “Advancing this new class of therapeutics holds significant promise for patients who have exhausted existing treatment options, whether due to debilitating side effects or a lack of response to currently available therapies.” However, she cautioned that consuming caraway seeds alone will not yield the same benefits, as the seeds serve merely as a framework for the creation of the CBD-like compounds.
The researchers acknowledged that this breakthrough marks the beginning of a long journey, with hopes that subsequent studies will yield safer and more effective treatment alternatives for those suffering from epilepsy in the future.
