Endogenous cannabinoid receptor ligands - anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol
by
Waku K.
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Teikyo University, Kanagawa, Japan.
keiwaku@pharm.teikyo-u.ac.jp
Yakugaku Zasshi. 2006 Feb;126(2):67-81.
ABSTRACTMarijuana has been used as a traditional medicine and a pleasure-inducing drug for thousands of years around the world, especially in Asia. Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol, major psychoactive component of marijuana, has been shown to interact with specific cannabinoid receptors, thereby eliciting a variety of pharmacological responses in experimental animals and human. In 1990, the gene encoding a cannabinoid receptor (CB1) was cloned. This prompted the search for endogenous ligands. In 1992, N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide) was isolated from pig brain as an endogenous ligand, and in 1995, 2-arachidonoylglycerol was isolated from rat brain and canine gut as another endogenous ligand. Both anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol exhibit various cannabimimetic activities. The results of structure-activity relationship experiments, however, revealed that 2-arachidonoylglycerol, but not anandamide, is the intrinsic natural ligand for the cannabinoid receptor. 2-arachidonoylglycerol is a degradation product of inositol phospholipids that links the function of the cannabinoid receptors with the enhanced inositol phospholipid turnover in stimulated tissues and cells. The possible physiological roles of cannabinoid receptors and 2-arachidonoylglycerol in various mammalian tissues such as those of the nervous and inflammatory cells are demonstrated. Furthermore, the future development of therapeutic drugs coming from this endocannabinoid system are discussed.THC
Bliss
Aerosol
Memory
Anandamide
Just say know
Tolerant mice
Forgetful rodents
Endocannabinoids
Stoned as a newt?
Stoned chocaholics?
The nectar of delight
Cannabis Abuse Disorder
Cannabis and schizophrenia
2-arachidonoyl glycerol and morphine01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15
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HedWeb
cocaine.wiki
Future Opioids
BLTC Research
Utopian Surgery?
Paradise-Engineering
The Hedonistic Imperative
MDMA: Utopian Pharmacology
The Good Drug Guide
The Responsible Parent's Guide
To Healthy Mood Boosters For All The Family
