The use of marijuana for medicinal purposes has a long history, particularly in the treatment of epilepsy. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a highly purified cannabidiol (CBD) medication as an add-on therapy for certain forms of epilepsy in humans. With growing interest in the veterinary community, a study was conducted to investigate the disposition of a single dose of CBD medication in healthy cats, both in the fed and fasted states.

The pharmacokinetic analysis revealed that the bioavailability of CBD increased nearly eleven-fold when administered in the fed state compared to the fasted state. Furthermore, at a dose of 5 mg/kg, CBD concentrations reached levels that may be sufficient to explore its therapeutic potential in cats with epilepsy.

The study also emphasized the importance of using FDA-approved CBD products due to their quality assurance and accurate labeling. The concentration of CBD in the FDA-approved medication was 100 mg/mL, allowing for smaller and more convenient dosing volumes. Although cost may be a drawback, it is comparable to other CBD products marketed for animals.

In conclusion, this study suggests that a single dose of 5 mg/kg of FDA-approved CBD medication, administered with food, can achieve detectable CBD concentrations in feline plasma. Further research is needed to determine optimal dosing regimens and evaluate multiple-dose pharmacokinetics. However, these findings provide a promising starting point for future therapeutic trials and potential treatment options for feline epilepsy.

Read full study here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10251743/