“Anandamide (AEA) is an endocannabinoid (EC) that modulates multiple functions in the CNS and that is released in areas of injury, exerting putative neuroprotective actions.
In the present study, we have used intravital microscopy to analyze the role of the EC system in the glial response against an acute insult…
In summary, these findings demonstrate that AEA modifies glial functions by promoting an enhanced pro-inflammatory glial response in the brain.”
“The type 2 cannabinoid receptors (CB2R) have gained much attention recently due to their important regulatory role in a host of pathophysiological processes.
However, the exact biological function of CB2R and how this function might change depending on disease progression remains unclear and could be better studied with highly sensitive and selective imaging tools for identifying the receptors.
Here we report the first near infrared fluorescence imaging probe (NIR760-XLP6) that binds preferentially to CB2R over the type 1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1R).
These findings indicate that NIR760-XLP6 is a promising imaging tool for the study of CB2R regulation.”
“Ligands targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) expressed by microglia have been shown to regulate distinct components of their activation process, including cell proliferation, migration and differentiation into M1 or M2 phenotypes.
Cannabinoids, including the active component of the Cannabis plant, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and the synthetic alkylindole (AI) compound, WIN55212-2 (WIN-2), activate two molecularly identified GPCRs: CB1 and CB2 .
Our results suggest that microglia express functional AI-sensitive receptors that control select components of their activation process.
Agonists of these novel targets might represent a novel class of therapeutics to influence the microglial cell activation process. ”
“Muscle wound healing process is a typical inflammation-evoked event. The monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) inhibitor (4-nitrophenyl)4-[bis(1,3-benzodioxol -5-yl)-hydroxymethyl]piperidine-1-carboxylate (JZL184) has been previously reported to reduce inflammation in colitis and acute lung injury in mice, which provide a new strategy for primary care of skeletal muscle injury.
Our findings demonstrate that JZL184 is able to inhibit the inflammatory response and interfere with contused muscle healing, in which the anti-inflammatory action may be mediated through cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors.”
“To date, our understanding of the relative contribution and potential overlapping roles of the endocannabinoids anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in the regulation of brain function and behavior is still limited. To address this issue, we investigated the effects of systemic administration of JZL195, that simultaneously increases AEA and 2-AG signaling by inhibiting their hydrolysis, in the regulation of socio-emotional behavior in adolescent and adult rats.
These findings provide the first evidence for a role of 2-AG in social behavior, highlight the different contributions of AEA and 2-AG in the modulation of emotionality at different developmental ages and suggest that pharmacological inhibition of AEA and 2-AG hydrolysis is a useful approach to investigate the role of these endocannabinoids in neurobehavioral processes.”
“Plant of Cannabis sativa/ marihuana except for its psychotropic effects possesses a range of pharmacological properties, that has been utilized for medical purposes over a period of millenia.
Investigations concerning biochemical mechanism of action of the main and most active pharmacological compound of Cannabis sativa, cannabinoid 9-THC, contributed to the discovery of cannabinoid receptors both in the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral tissues, that mediated actions of this substance.
The discovery made possible identification of a new, endogenous signaling system referred to as the endocannabinoid system.
Besides cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, the system includes it’s endogenic ligands (endocannabinoids) and compounds that participate in their biosynthesis and inactivation. Structure and functioning of the endocannabinoid system is conservative in all vertebrates.
It’s activation with plant, synthetic and endogenous cannabinoids has an influence on multiple physiological and pathological processes within the eye.”
“A series of experiments evaluated the potential of psychoactive cannabinoid agonists, delta-9-THC and HU-210, and non-psychoactive cannabinoids, Cannabidiol (CBD) and its dimethylheptyl homolog (CBD-dmh), to interfere with the establishment and the expression of conditioned gaping in rats.
All agents attenuated both the establishment and the expression of conditioned gaping.
Furthermore, the CB1 antagonist, SR-141716, reversed the suppressive effect of HU-210 on conditioned gaping.
Finally, SR-141716 potentiated lithium-induced conditioned gaping, suggesting that the endogenous cannabinoid system plays a role in the control of nausea.”
“The Cannabis sativa plant has been exploited for medicinal, agricultural and spiritual purposes in diverse cultures over thousands of years.
Cannabis has been used recreationally for its psychotropic properties, while effects such as stimulation of appetite, analgesia and anti-emesis have lead to the medicinal application of cannabis.
Indeed, reports of medicinal efficacy of cannabis can been traced back as far as 2700 BC, and even at that time reports also suggested a neuroprotective effect of the cultivar.
…alterations in the endocannabinoid system have been extensively investigated in a range of neurodegenerative disorders.
In this review we examine the evidence implicating the endocannabinoid system in the cause, symptomatology or treatment of neurodegenerative disease. We examine data from human patients and compare and contrast this with evidence from animal models of these diseases. On the basis of this evidence we discuss the likely efficacy of endocannabinoid-based therapies in each disease context.
There has been anecdotal and preliminary scientific evidence of cannabis affording symptomatic relief in diverse neurodegenerative disorders. These include multiple sclerosis, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
This evidence implied that hypofunction or dysregulation of the endocannabinoid system may be responsible for some of the symptomatology of these diseases.”
“Cannabis has been of medicinal and social significance for millennia.
It is obtained from Cannabis sativa and the plant’s name reflects its ancient use—cannabis may represent a compound of Sanskrit and Hebrew words meaning ‘fragrant cane’, while sativa is Latin for cultivated.
Cannabis is also known as hemp.
Marijuana describes the dried cannabis flowers and leaves which are smoked, while hashish refers to blocks of cannabis resin which can be eaten.
Advances in cannabis research have paralleled developments in opioid pharmacology whereby a psychoactive plant extract has elucidated novel endogenous signalling systems with therapeutic significance.
Cannabinoids (CBs) are chemical compounds derived from cannabis.
This review discusses the basic science and clinical aspects of CB pharmacology with a focus on pain medicine.
Advances in cannabis research have ensured a future for these analgesic molecules which have been used since antiquity.”
“There is evidence to suggest that a dysregulation of endocannabinoid signaling may contribute to the etiology and pathophysiology of migraine.
Thus, patients suffering from chronic migraine or medication overuse headache showed alterations in the activity of the arachidonoylethanolamide (AEA) degrading enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and a specific AEA membrane transporter, alongside with changes in AEA levels.
The precise role of different endocannabinoid system components is, however, not clear. We have therefore investigated mice with a genetic deletion of the two main cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, or the main endocannabinoid degrading enzymes, FAAH and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), which degrades 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), in a nitroglycerine-induced animal model of migraine.
The effects of the genetic deletion of pharmacological blockade of FAAH are mediated by CB1 receptors, because they were completely disrupted with the CB1 antagonist rimonabant.
These results identify FAAH as a target for migraine pharmacotherapy.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25910421
http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/headachemigraine/