Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study of Oral Cannabidiol and Tetrahydrocannabinol for Essential Tremor

TL;DR

A small clinical trial found no evidence that a cannabis-based drug reduces essential tremor symptoms, despite anecdotal claims.

Contribution

First placebo-controlled trial to evaluate oral THC/CBD for essential tremor, providing empirical evidence against anecdotal reports.

Findings

No significant improvement in tremor amplitude with THC/CBD compared to placebo.

Oral cannabinoids were well-tolerated by most participants.

Results contradict anecdotal claims of cannabis effectiveness for essential tremor.

Abstract

Essential tremor (ET) is characterized by often disabling action tremors. No pharmacological agent has been developed specifically for symptomatic treatment. Anecdotal reports describe tremor improvement with cannabis, but no evidence exists to support these claims. We conducted a phase Ib/II double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover pilot trial in participants with ET to investigate tolerability, safety, and efficacy of Tilray TN-CT120 LM, an oral pharmaceutical-grade formulation containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) 5 mg and cannabidiol (CBD) 100 mg. Our objectives were to determine if short-term THC/CBD exposure improved tremor amplitude and was tolerated.

Participants with ET were randomized (1:1) to receive either TN-CT120 LM or placebo. Dose titration, driven by tolerability, was attempted every 2–3 days to three capsules daily maximum. Participants remained on the highest tolerated dose for two weeks before returning to complete assessments. After completing the first arm, participants titrated off the agent, underwent a three-week washout, and then returned for the same procedures with the alternate compound. The primary endpoint was tremor amplitude change from baseline using digital spiral assessment. Secondary endpoints explored safety and tolerability.

Among thirteen participants screened, seven were eligible and enrolled. Five completed all visits; one withdrew following a serious adverse event, and another did not tolerate the lowest dose. Intent-to-treat analyses performed for six participants did not reveal significant effects on primary or secondary endpoints.

This pilot trial did not detect any signals of efficacy of THC/CBD in ET. Although preliminary due to the small sample size, our data do not support anecdotal reports of cannabinoid effectiveness for ET.

This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled efficacy and tolerability pilot trial did not detect any signals of efficacy of oral cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol in reducing essential tremor amplitude using either digital outcome measures or clinical rating scales. The oral cannabinoids were well-tolerated by most (five out of seven) participants.

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