Composition for treating seizure disorders

Abstract

The invention provides compositions and methods for treating seizure disorders such as epilepsy in humans and animals using, in a first embodiment, the combination of (i) an effective amount of a barbiturate drug, such as phenobarbital or primidone, which solely enhances GABAergic inhibition in a patient suffering a seizure disorder; and (ii) phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) in a dosage amount sufficient to overcome the hepatic metabolic effect stimulated by the barbiturate drug and provide bioavailable CBD to the patient in clinically efficacious amounts.

1 . A composition for treating seizure in a patient, comprising as sole active pharmaceutical components:
 (i) a barbiturate drug selected from the group consisting of phenobarbital and primidone in an amount not greater than 2 mg/kg of the patient's weight,   (ii) phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) in an amount of from 0.5 to 1.0 mg/kg of the patient's weight, and   (iii) a blocking compound selected from the group consisting of vitamins A, D, E and K in an amount of not less than 0.5 mg/kg of the patient's weight;   
       which is effective to inhibit the hepatic metabolic effect of phenobarbital or primidone, thereby increasing bioavailability of CBD to said patient. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the CBD is extracted from  Cannabis indica  or hempseed oil. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the CBD is essentially free of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said patient is suffering from epilepsy. 
     
     
         5 . A method for treating epilepsy consisting essentially of administering to a patient in need thereof a composition comprising as sole pharmaceutical components:
 (i) a barbiturate drug selected from the group consisting of phenobarbital and primidone in an amount not greater than 2 mg/kg of the patient's weight;   (ii) phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) in a dosage amount of from 0.5 to 1.0 mg/kg of the patient's weight; and   (iii) a blocking compound selected from the group consisting of vitamins A, D, E and K in an amount of not less than 0.5 mg/kg of the patient's weight,   
       which is effective to inhibit the hepatic metabolic effect of phenobarbital or primidone, thereby increasing the amount of bioavailable CBD to said patient. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the CBD is extracted from  Cannabis indica  or hempseed oil. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the CBD is essentially free of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).