Delta9-Tetrahydrocannabinol from Cannabis sativa is mimicked by cannabimimetic analogs such as CP55940 and WIN55212-2, and antagonized by rimonabant and SR144528, through G-protein-coupled receptors, CB1 in the brain, and CB2 in the immune system. Eicosanoids anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol are the "endocannabinoid" agonists for these receptors. CB1 receptors are abundant in basal ganglia, hippocampus and cerebellum, and their functional activity can be mapped during behaviors using cerebral metabolism as the neuroimaging tool. CB1 receptors couple to G(i/o) to inhibit cAMP production, decrease Ca2+ conductance, increase K+ conductance, and increase mitogen-activated protein kinase activity. Functional activation of G-proteins can be imaged by [35S]GTPgammaS autoradiography. Post-synaptically generated endocannabinoids form the basis of a retrograde signaling mechanism referred to as depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition (DSI) or excitation (DSE). Under circumstances of sufficient intracellular Ca2+ (e.g., burst activity in seizures), synthesis of endocannabinoids releases a diffusible retrograde messenger to stimulate presynaptic CB1 receptors. This results in suppression of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) release, thereby relieving the post-synaptic inhibition. Tolerance develops as neurons adjust both receptor number and cellular signal transduction to the chronic administration of cannabinoid drugs. Future therapeutic drug design can progress based upon our current understanding of the physiology and pharmacology of CB1, CB2 and related receptors. One very important role for CB1 antagonists will be in the treatment of craving in the disease of substance abuse.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2004.07.030 | DOI Listing |
Hormones (Athens)
January 2025
LABIOEX-Exercise Biology Lab, Department of Health Sciences, UFSC-Federal University of Santa Catarina, Araranguá, SC, Brazil.
The endocannabinoid system (ECS), regulating such processes as energy homeostasis, inflammation, and muscle function, centers around cannabinoid receptors, including CB1. These receptors are mainly located in the central nervous system and skeletal muscles. Hyperactivity of CB1 receptors is linked to metabolic disorders and chronic inflammation, highlighting their potential as therapeutic targets for muscle hypertrophy and metabolic health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPharmaceuticals (Basel)
January 2025
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004, USA.
Both hydrogen sulfide and endocannabinoids can protect the neural retina from toxic insults under in vitro and in vivo conditions. The aim of the present study was two-fold: (a) to examine the neuroprotective action of cannabinoids [methanandamide and 2-arachidonyl glycerol (2-AG)] against hydrogen peroxide (HO)-induced oxidative damage in the isolated bovine retina and (b) to evaluate the role of endogenously biosynthesized hydrogen sulfide (HS) in the inhibitory actions of cannabinoids on the oxidative stress in the bovine retina. Isolated neural retinas from cows were exposed to oxidative damage using HO (100 µM) for 10 min.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
January 2025
Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia.
2-arachnadoyl glycerol (2-AG) is one of the most common endocannabinoid molecules with anti-proliferative, cytotoxic, and pro-proliferative effects on different types of tumors. Typically, it induces cell death via cannabinoid receptor 1/2 (CB1/CB2)-linked ceramide production. In breast cancer, ceramide is counterbalanced by the sphingosine-1-phosphate, and thus the mechanisms of 2-AG influence on proliferation are poorly understood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Nat Prod
January 2025
Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, United States.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a natural product associated with a wide range of biological and therapeutic activities. Despite the widespread cultural acceptance of CBD as a medicinal agent, much remains to be determined regarding its precise mechanism(s) of action in treating multiple conditions. CBD has been shown to promiscuously interact with several neurological targets with varying affinities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCells
January 2025
Department of Psychology, School of Psychological Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel.
Evidence indicates a bidirectional link between depressive symptoms and neuroinflammation. This study evaluated chronic cannabidiol (CBD) treatment effects in male and female rats subjected to the unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) model of depression. We analyzed the gene expression related to neuroinflammation, cannabinoid signaling, estrogen receptors, and specific microRNAs in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), CA1, and ventral subiculum (VS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!