Washington, Feb 15 : A recent study at the University of Manitoba Rehabilitation Hospital has revealed that nabilone, a synthetic form of marijuana may aid in reducing pain and anxiety among fibromyalgia patients.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic widespread muscle and joint pain that is difficult to diagnose and cannot be cured.

The condition is far more prevalent in women and the incidence increases with age, reaching 7 percent among women 65 years and older.

The researchers at the University of Manitoba Rehabilitation Hospital conducted the trail on 40 participants and divided them into two groups, nabilone and placebo, and treated them for four weeks.

The findings revealed that the nabilone group showed significant drop in pain and anxiety along with functional improvement in fibromyalgia patients.

However, none of the nabilone-treated subjects had complete relief of their fibromyalgia syndrome.

Nabilone is one of two oral marijuana-based compounds, known as cannabinoids, available in Canada and is approved for treatment of nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy.

The study is published in The Journal of Pain.

ANI