A cannabis plant extract provides pain relief for patients after major surgery, research has shown. An Imperial College London team tested the extract - Cannador - on 65 patients after surgery such as knee replacements and found it helped manage pain.
The researchers believe the results could lead to new pain relief drugs, even though the chance of side effects increased with stronger doses, BBC TV reported. The research appears in the US journal Anesthesiology.
Lead researcher Dr Anita Holdcroft said: "Pain after surgery continues to be a problem because many of the commonly used drugs are either ineffective or have too many side effects.
"These results show that cannabinoids are effective and may lead to the development of a wider range of drugs to manage post-operative pain."