In vitro effects of anandamide and prostamide e2 on normal and transformed nerve cells.

We studied the effects of endocannabinoid anandamide and its cyclooxygenase derivative prostamide E2 on cultured cerebellar granular cells and C6 glioma cells from rats. Prostamide E2 prevented apoptosis in cerebellar neurons induced by potassium deprivation of cultures, while anandamide had no neuroprotective properties. Prostamide E2 did not modulate the survival rate of glioma cells, while anandamide produced a cytotoxic effect.

Antioxidant and neuroprotective properties of N-arachidonoyldopamine.

N-Acyldopamines were recently described as putative endogenous substances in the rat brain. Among them, N-arachidonoyldopamine (AADA) was characterized as cannabinoid CB1 and vanilloid TRPV1 receptor ligand. The physiological significance of such compounds is yet poorly understood.