“It has been recently reported that cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, is able to kill glioma cells, both in vivo and in vitro, independently of cannabinoid receptor stimulation.
…the present investigation indicates that CBD exerts its antitumoral effects through modulation of the LOX pathway and of the endocannabinoid system…”
“Glioma stem-like cells constitute one of the potential origins of gliomas, and therefore, their elimination is an essential factor for the development of efficient therapeutic strategies.
Cannabinoids are known to exert an antitumoral action on gliomas that relies on at least two mechanisms: induction of apoptosis of transformed cells and inhibition of tumor angiogenesis…
The discovery of an endogenous cannabinoid system, together with the great improvement in our understanding of the signaling mechanisms responsible for cannabinoid actions, has fostered the interest in the potential therapeutic applications of cannabinoids.
Several studies have demonstrated a significant antitumoral action of cannabinoid ligands in animal models. Thus, cannabinoid administration to nude mice curbs the growth of different tumors, including gliomas…
Cannabinoids are known to exert an antitumoral action against gliomas…
Overall, our results demonstrate that cannabinoids target glioma stem-like cells, promote their differentiation, and inhibit gliomagenesis, thus giving further support to their potential use in the management of malignant gliomas.
In conclusion, our results demonstrate the action of cannabinoids on glioma stem-like cells and thus may open new avenues for cannabinoid-based antitumoral strategies.”
“Endocannabinoids (eCB) have been functionally linked to cocaine’s rewarding effects.
…changes in CB1r function – alone and in combination with cocaine – affected stereotyped vigilance-related behaviors… further implicating the eCB system in the neurobiological mechanisms of cocaine addiction.”
“Microglial cells are extremely plastic and undergo a variety of CNS-prompted shape changes relative to their location and current role. Signaling molecules from neurons also regulate microglial cytokine production. Neurons are known to employ the endogenous cannabinoid system to communicate with other cells of the CNS.
N-arachidonoyl glycine (NAGly) and Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ(9)-THC) signaling via GPR18 has been introduced as an important new target in microglial-neuronal communication…
These data add to an emerging profile that emphasizes NAGly as a component of an endogenous system present in the CNS that tightly integrates microglial proliferation, recruitment, and adhesion with neuron-glia interactivity and tissue remodeling.”
“Systemic administration of the GPR18 agonist abnormal cannabidiol (Abn CBD) lowers blood pressure (BP).
These findings are the first to demonstrate GPR18 expression in the RVLM, and to suggest sympathoinhibitory role for this receptor. The findings yield new insight into the role of a novel cannabinoid receptor (GPR18) in central BP control.”
“The purpose of this review is to illustrate the expanding view of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in relation to its roles in inflammation…
Diet is among the main factors determining synthesis and release of endocannabinoids and related mediators.
The complexity of what may be called the ‘endocannabinoidome’ requires approaches that take into account its dynamics and interconnections with other regulatory systems. This endocannabinoidome continues to offer possibilities for prevention and intervention, but multiple target approaches will probably provide the only keys to success.”
“Addiction to major drugs of abuse, such as cocaine, has recently been linked to alterations in adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus. The endogenous cannabinoid system modulates this proliferative response as demonstrated by the finding that pharmacological activation/blockade of cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors not only modulates neurogenesis but also modulates cell death in the brain.
In the present study, we evaluated whether the endogenous cannabinoid system affects cocaine-induced alterations in cell proliferation…
These results indicate that the changes in neurogenic, apoptotic and gliotic processes that were produced by repeated cocaine administration were normalized by pharmacological blockade of CB1 and CB2. The restorative effects of cannabinoid receptor blockade on hippocampal cell proliferation were associated with the prevention of the induction of conditioned locomotion but not with the prevention of cocaine-induced sensitization.”
“The endocannabinoid CB2 receptor system has been implicated in the neuropathology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD)…
The results confirm the constitutive role of the CB2 receptor system both in reducing amyloid plaque pathology in AD and also support the potential of cannabinoid therapies targeting CB2 to reduce Aβ…”
“Emerging findings suggest the existence of a cross-talk between hypocretinergic and endocannabinoid systems…
The present review attempts to piece together what is known about this interesting interaction and describes its potential therapeutic implications.”
http://www.frontiersin.org/Neuropharmacology/10.3389/fnins.2013.00256/abstract
“Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, associated with alterations of bowel function, abdominal pain and other symptoms related to the GI tract. Recently the endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) was shown to be involved in the physiological and pathophysiological control of the GI function. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate whether IBS defining symptoms correlate with changes in endocannabinoids or cannabinoid like fatty acid levels in IBS patients.
IBS subtypes and their symptoms show distinct alterations of endocannabinoid and endocannabinoid-like fatty acid levels. These changes may partially result from reduced FAAH expression. The here reported changes support the notion that the ECS is involved in the pathophysiology of IBS and the development of IBS symptoms.”