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Dronabinol (Marinol), a medicinal form of tetrahydrocannabinol, has been used to treat nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy patients. This six-week randomized, placebo-controlled trial tested dronabinol (2.5 mg twice daily) as a treatment for anorexia and poor appetite in 139 AIDS patients at 18 U.S. centers.
All patients had lost at least 2.3 kg from normal body weight but were physically able to eat a normal diet. The efficacy analysis focused on 88 patients who took at least 75% of planned doses and did not violate protocol by using marijuana, megestrol acetate, or corticosteroids.
At last follow-up, the dronabinol group had significantly greater improvements than the placebo group in self-reported appetite (38% vs. 8%) and nausea (a 20% vs…