Most trials showed improvement in symptoms associated with cannabinoids but these associations did not reach statistical significance in all trials .
There was an increased risk of short-term AEs with cannabinoids , including serious AEs .
Common AEs included dizziness , dry mouth , nausea , fatigue , somnolence , euphoria , vomiting , disorientation , drowsiness , confusion , loss of balance , and hallucination .
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE There was moderate- quality evidence to support the use of cannabinoids for the treatment of chronic pain and spasticity .
There was low- quality evidence suggesting that cannabinoids were associated with improvements in nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy , weight gain in HIV infection , sleep disorders , and Tourette syndrome .
Cannabinoids were associated with an increased risk of short-term AEs
IMPORTANCE Cannabis and cannabinoid drugs are widely used to treat disease or alleviate symptoms , but their efficacy for specific indications is not clear .
OBJECTIVE To conduct a systematic review of the benefits and adverse events ( AEs ) of cannabinoids .
Dronabinol and prochlorperazine in combination for treatment of cancer chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
Dronabinol ( Marinol , Roxane Laboratories , Columbus , OH ) and prochlorperazine were tested alone and in combination in a r and omized , double-blind , parallel group , multicenter study . Patients were r and omized to receive either 1 ) dronabinol 10 mg every 6 hr plus placebo ; 2 ) placebo plus prochlorperazine 10 mg every 6 hr ; or 3 ) dronabinol and prochlorperazine , each 10 mg every 6 hr . Antiemetic treatment was begun 24 hr prior to and continued for 24 hr after the last dose of chemotherapy ; all was given orally . Only 29 % of patients in group 3 versus 47 % in group 1 and 60 % in group 2 experienced nausea after chemotherapy . In addition , the median duration per episode and severity of nausea were significantly less with combination therapy . Vomiting occurred after chemotherapy in 41 % , 55 % , and 35 % of patients in groups 1 , 2 , and 3 , respectively . The median duration per episode of vomiting was 1 min in group 3 versus two in group 1 and four in group 2 . Side effects , primarily CNS , were more common in group 1 than in group 2 ; addition of prochlorperazine to dronabinol appeared to decrease the frequency of dysphoric effects seen with the latter agent . The combination was significantly more effective than was either single agent in controlling chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
Most trials showed improvement in symptoms associated with cannabinoids but these associations did not reach statistical significance in all trials .
There was an increased risk of short-term AEs with cannabinoids , including serious AEs .
Common AEs included dizziness , dry mouth , nausea , fatigue , somnolence , euphoria , vomiting , disorientation , drowsiness , confusion , loss of balance , and hallucination .
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE There was moderate- quality evidence to support the use of cannabinoids for the treatment of chronic pain and spasticity .
There was low- quality evidence suggesting that cannabinoids were associated with improvements in nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy , weight gain in HIV infection , sleep disorders , and Tourette syndrome .
Cannabinoids were associated with an increased risk of short-term AEs
IMPORTANCE Cannabis and cannabinoid drugs are widely used to treat disease or alleviate symptoms , but their efficacy for specific indications is not clear .
OBJECTIVE To conduct a systematic review of the benefits and adverse events ( AEs ) of cannabinoids .