Treatment Pattern, Safety and Effect of Ya Thamlai Phra Sumen Thai Traditional Medicine Formula on Patients’ Quality of Life
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Abstract
Thamlai Phra Sumen formula is one of the cannabis-based Thai traditional medicine formulas that has been approved by the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine for treating patients with flatulence, muscle pain, muscle stiffness, and weakness in stroke patients. This study aimed to explore treatment patterns, adverse events, and quality of life of patients receiving Thamlai Phra Sumen formula. A retrospective chart review was conducted on medical records of patients visiting the Medical Cannabis Clinic at Thai traditional and integrated medicine hospitals from 1 October 2019 to 31 December 2020. Of all 239 eligible patients, 64.02% were male and their mean age was 48.48 ± 14.31 years. Indications of the formula were muscle pain (43.1%), paresis or paralysis (28.87%), and numbness (7.11%), insomnia (6.69%), osteoarthritis (5.86%) and Parkinson's disease (5.86%). The most common initial dosing regimens were 1 g twice a day (31.38%) and 1 g once a day (30.96%). The maintenance dose was 0.5–4 g/day. Most patients received 2 g/day (60.93%). Quality of life data collected using the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire indicated that mean utility at treatment initiation was 0.80 ± 0.19 and that at month 3 was 0.86 ± 0.16 (p < 0.001). We observed 39 adverse events in 29 patients, all of which were mild and mostly included gastrointestinal irritation, hot flushes, dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, and dry throat. In conclusion, Thalai Phra Sumen formula is a safe alternative for patients with several indications and it could also improve patients’ quality of life.
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