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Karl T, Garner B, Cheng D. The therapeutic potential of the phytocannabinoid cannabidiol for Alzheimer's disease. Behav Pharmacol 2018; 28:142-160. [PMID: 27471947 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by progressive loss of cognition. Over 35 million individuals currently have AD worldwide. Unfortunately, current therapies are limited to very modest symptomatic relief. The brains of AD patients are characterized by the deposition of amyloid-β and hyperphosphorylated forms of tau protein. AD brains also show neurodegeneration and high levels of oxidative stress and inflammation. The phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) possesses neuroprotective, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and reduces amyloid-β production and tau hyperphosphorylation in vitro. CBD has also been shown to be effective in vivo making the phytocannabinoid an interesting candidate for novel therapeutic interventions in AD, especially as it lacks psychoactive or cognition-impairing properties. CBD treatment would be in line with preventative, multimodal drug strategies targeting a combination of pathological symptoms, which might be ideal for AD therapy. Thus, this review will present a brief introduction to AD biology and current treatment options before outlining comprehensively CBD biology and pharmacology, followed by in-vitro and in-vivo evidence for the therapeutic potential of CBD. We will also discuss the role of the endocannabinioid system in AD before commenting on the potential future of CBD for AD therapy (including safety aspects).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Karl
- aSchool of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown bNeuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Randwick cIllawarra Health and Medical Research Institute dSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong eVictor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
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Morales P, Reggio PH, Jagerovic N. An Overview on Medicinal Chemistry of Synthetic and Natural Derivatives of Cannabidiol. Front Pharmacol 2017; 8:422. [PMID: 28701957 PMCID: PMC5487438 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabidiol (CBD) has been traditionally used in Cannabis-based preparation, however historically, it has received far less interest as a single drug than the other components of Cannabis. Currently, CBD generates considerable interest due to its beneficial neuroprotective, antiepileptic, anxiolytic, antipsychotic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, the CBD scaffold becomes of increasing interest for medicinal chemists. This review provides an overview of the chemical structure of natural and synthetic CBD derivatives including the molecular targets associated with these compounds. A clear identification of their biological targets has been shown to be still very challenging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Morales
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina Greensboro, GreensboroNC, United States
| | - Patricia H. Reggio
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina Greensboro, GreensboroNC, United States
| | - Nadine Jagerovic
- Instituto de Química Médica, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Unidad Asociada I+D+i al Instituto de Química Médica/Universidad Rey Juan CarlosMadrid, Spain
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Laprairie RB, Kulkarni PM, Deschamps JR, Kelly MEM, Janero DR, Cascio MG, Stevenson LA, Pertwee RG, Kenakin TP, Denovan-Wright EM, Thakur GA. Enantiospecific Allosteric Modulation of Cannabinoid 1 Receptor. ACS Chem Neurosci 2017; 8:1188-1203. [PMID: 28103441 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.6b00310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R) is one of the most widely expressed metabotropic G protein-coupled receptors in brain, and its participation in various (patho)physiological processes has made CB1R activation a viable therapeutic modality. Adverse psychotropic effects limit the clinical utility of CB1R orthosteric agonists and have promoted the search for CB1R positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) with the promise of improved drug-like pharmacology and enhanced safety over typical CB1R agonists. In this study, we describe the synthesis and in vitro and ex vivo pharmacology of the novel allosteric CB1R modulator GAT211 (racemic) and its resolved enantiomers, GAT228 (R) and GAT229 (S). GAT211 engages CB1R allosteric site(s), enhances the binding of the orthosteric full agonist [3H]CP55,490, and reduces the binding of the orthosteric antagonist/inverse agonist [3H]SR141716A. GAT211 displayed both PAM and agonist activity in HEK293A and Neuro2a cells expressing human recombinant CB1R (hCB1R) and in mouse-brain membranes rich in native CB1R. GAT211 also exhibited a strong PAM effect in isolated vas deferens endogenously expressing CB1R. Each resolved and crystallized GAT211 enantiomer showed a markedly distinctive pharmacology as a CB1R allosteric modulator. In all biological systems examined, GAT211's allosteric agonist activity resided with the R-(+)-enantiomer (GAT228), whereas its PAM activity resided with the S-(-)-enantiomer (GAT229), which lacked intrinsic activity. These results constitute the first demonstration of enantiomer-selective CB1R positive allosteric modulation and set a precedent whereby enantiomeric resolution can decisively define the molecular pharmacology of a CB1R allosteric ligand.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pushkar M. Kulkarni
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Bouvé College
of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Jeffrey R. Deschamps
- Naval Research Laboratory, Code 6930, 4555 Overlook Avenue, Washington, D.C. 20375, United States
| | | | - David R. Janero
- Center
for Drug Discovery; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School
of Pharmacy, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, College of Science, and Health Sciences Entrepreneurs; Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Maria G. Cascio
- School
of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Institute of Medical
Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, U.K
| | - Lesley A. Stevenson
- School
of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Institute of Medical
Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, U.K
| | - Roger G. Pertwee
- School
of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Institute of Medical
Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, U.K
| | - Terrence P. Kenakin
- Department
of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel
Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | | | - Ganesh A. Thakur
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Bouvé College
of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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Remesic M, Hruby VJ, Porreca F, Lee YS. Recent Advances in the Realm of Allosteric Modulators for Opioid Receptors for Future Therapeutics. ACS Chem Neurosci 2017; 8:1147-1158. [PMID: 28368571 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.7b00090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Opioids, and more specifically μ-opioid receptor (MOR) agonists such as morphine, have long been clinically used as therapeutics for severe pain states but often come with serious side effects such as addiction and tolerance. Many studies have focused on bringing about analgesia from the MOR with attenuated side effects, but its underlying mechanism is not fully understood. Recently, focus has been geared toward the design and elucidation of the orthosteric site with ligands of various biological profiles and mixed subtype opioid activities and selectivities, but targeting the allosteric site is an area of increasing interest. It has been shown that allosteric modulators play key roles in influencing receptor function such as its tolerance to a ligand and affect downstream pathways. There has been a high variance of chemical structures that provide allosteric modulation at a given receptor, but recent studies and reviews tend to focus on the altered cellular mechanisms instead of providing a more rigorous description of the allosteric ligand's structure-function relationship. In this review, we aim to explore recent developments in the structural motifs that potentiate orthosteric binding and their influences on cellular pathways in an effort to present novel approaches to opioid therapeutic design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Remesic
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Victor J. Hruby
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Frank Porreca
- Department
of Pharmacology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85719, United States
| | - Yeon Sun Lee
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
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Molecular Targets of the Phytocannabinoids: A Complex Picture. PROGRESS IN THE CHEMISTRY OF ORGANIC NATURAL PRODUCTS 2017; 103:103-131. [PMID: 28120232 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-45541-9_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 212] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
For centuries, hashish and marihuana, both derived from the Indian hemp Cannabis sativa L., have been used for their medicinal, as well as, their psychotropic effects. These effects are associated with the phytocannabinoids which are oxygen containing C21 aromatic hydrocarbons found in Cannabis sativa L. To date, over 120 phytocannabinoids have been isolated from Cannabis. For many years, it was assumed that the beneficial effects of the phytocannabinoids were mediated by the cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2. However, today we know that the picture is much more complex, with the same phytocannabinoid acting at multiple targets. This contribution focuses on the molecular pharmacology of the phytocannabinoids, including Δ9-THC and CBD, from the prospective of the targets at which these important compounds act.
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Pisanti S, Malfitano AM, Ciaglia E, Lamberti A, Ranieri R, Cuomo G, Abate M, Faggiana G, Proto MC, Fiore D, Laezza C, Bifulco M. Cannabidiol: State of the art and new challenges for therapeutic applications. Pharmacol Ther 2017; 175:133-150. [PMID: 28232276 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2017.02.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 353] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Over the past years, several lines of evidence support a therapeutic potential of Cannabis derivatives and in particular phytocannabinoids. Δ9-THC and cannabidiol (CBD) are the most abundant phytocannabinoids in Cannabis plants and therapeutic application for both compounds have been suggested. However, CBD is recently emerging as a therapeutic agent in numerous pathological conditions since devoid of the psychoactive side effects exhibited instead by Δ9-THC. In this review, we highlight the pharmacological activities of CBD, its cannabinoid receptor-dependent and -independent action, its biological effects focusing on immunomodulation, angiogenetic properties, and modulation of neuronal and cardiovascular function. Furthermore, the therapeutic potential of cannabidiol is also highlighted, in particular in nuerological diseases and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Pisanti
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Italy.
| | - Anna Maria Malfitano
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Italy
| | - Elena Ciaglia
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Italy
| | - Anna Lamberti
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Italy
| | - Roberta Ranieri
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Italy
| | - Gaia Cuomo
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Italy
| | - Mario Abate
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Italy
| | - Giorgio Faggiana
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Maurizio Bifulco
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Italy; Corporea, Fondazione Idis-Città della Scienza, Naples, Italy.
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Watt G, Karl T. In vivo Evidence for Therapeutic Properties of Cannabidiol (CBD) for Alzheimer's Disease. Front Pharmacol 2017; 8:20. [PMID: 28217094 PMCID: PMC5289988 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease that is affecting an increasing number of people. It is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-β and tau hyperphosphorylation as well as neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Current AD treatments do not stop or reverse the disease progression, highlighting the need for new, more effective therapeutics. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid that has demonstrated neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in vitro. Thus, it is investigated as a potential multifunctional treatment option for AD. Here, we summarize the current status quo of in vivo effects of CBD in established pharmacological and transgenic animal models for AD. The studies demonstrate the ability of CBD to reduce reactive gliosis and the neuroinflammatory response as well as to promote neurogenesis. Importantly, CBD also reverses and prevents the development of cognitive deficits in AD rodent models. Interestingly, combination therapies of CBD and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active ingredient of cannabis sativa, show that CBD can antagonize the psychoactive effects associated with THC and possibly mediate greater therapeutic benefits than either phytocannabinoid alone. The studies provide “proof of principle” that CBD and possibly CBD-THC combinations are valid candidates for novel AD therapies. Further investigations should address the long-term potential of CBD and evaluate mechanisms involved in the therapeutic effects described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Watt
- Karl Group, Behavioural Neuroscience, Western Sydney University Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
| | - Tim Karl
- Karl Group, Behavioural Neuroscience, Western Sydney UniversityCampbelltown, NSW, Australia; Neuroscience Research AustraliaRandwick, NSW, Australia
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Nguyen T, Li JX, Thomas BF, Wiley JL, Kenakin TP, Zhang Y. Allosteric Modulation: An Alternate Approach Targeting the Cannabinoid CB1 Receptor. Med Res Rev 2016; 37:441-474. [PMID: 27879006 PMCID: PMC5397374 DOI: 10.1002/med.21418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2016] [Revised: 08/21/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The cannabinoid CB1 receptor is a G protein coupled receptor and plays an important role in many biological processes and physiological functions. A variety of CB1 receptor agonists and antagonists, including endocannabinoids, phytocannabinoids, and synthetic cannabinoids, have been discovered or developed over the past 20 years. In 2005, it was discovered that the CB1 receptor contains allosteric site(s) that can be recognized by small molecules or allosteric modulators. A number of CB1 receptor allosteric modulators, both positive and negative, have since been reported and importantly, they display pharmacological characteristics that are distinct from those of orthosteric agonists and antagonists. Given the psychoactive effects commonly associated with CB1 receptor agonists and antagonists/inverse agonists, allosteric modulation may offer an alternate approach to attain potential therapeutic benefits while avoiding inherent side effects of orthosteric ligands. This review details the complex pharmacological profiles of these allosteric modulators, their structure-activity relationships, and efforts in elucidating binding modes and mechanisms of actions of reported CB1 allosteric modulators. The ultimate development of CB1 receptor allosteric ligands could potentially lead to improved therapies for CB1-mediated neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thuy Nguyen
- Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Jun-Xu Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Brian F Thomas
- Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Jenny L Wiley
- Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Terry P Kenakin
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Yanan Zhang
- Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
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Rohleder C, Müller JK, Lange B, Leweke FM. Cannabidiol as a Potential New Type of an Antipsychotic. A Critical Review of the Evidence. Front Pharmacol 2016; 7:422. [PMID: 27877130 PMCID: PMC5099166 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2016.00422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
There is urgent need for the development of mechanistically different and less side-effect prone antipsychotic compounds. The endocannabinoid system has been suggested to represent a potential new target in this indication. While the chronic use of cannabis itself has been considered a risk factor contributing to the development of schizophrenia, triggered by the phytocannabinoid delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), cannabidiol, the second most important phytocannabinoid, appears to have no psychotomimetic potential. Although, results from animal studies are inconsistent to a certain extent and seem to depend on behavioral paradigms, treatment duration and experimental conditions applied, cannabidiol has shown antipsychotic properties in both rodents and rhesus monkeys. After some individual treatment attempts, the first randomized, double-blind controlled clinical trial demonstrated that in acute schizophrenia cannabidiol exerts antipsychotic properties comparable to the antipsychotic drug amisulpride while being accompanied by a superior, placebo-like side effect profile. As the clinical improvement by cannabidiol was significantly associated with elevated anandamide levels, it appears likely that its antipsychotic action is based on mechanisms associated with increased anandamide concentrations. Although, a plethora of mechanisms of action has been suggested, their potential relevance for the antipsychotic effects of cannabidiol still needs to be investigated. The clarification of these mechanisms as well as the establishment of cannabidiol’s antipsychotic efficacy and its hopefully benign side-effect profile remains the subject of a number of previously started clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathrin Rohleder
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim Germany
| | - Juliane K Müller
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim Germany
| | - Bettina Lange
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim Germany
| | - F M Leweke
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim Germany
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Ligresti A, De Petrocellis L, Di Marzo V. From Phytocannabinoids to Cannabinoid Receptors and Endocannabinoids: Pleiotropic Physiological and Pathological Roles Through Complex Pharmacology. Physiol Rev 2016; 96:1593-659. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00002.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 253] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Apart from having been used and misused for at least four millennia for, among others, recreational and medicinal purposes, the cannabis plant and its most peculiar chemical components, the plant cannabinoids (phytocannabinoids), have the merit to have led humanity to discover one of the most intriguing and pleiotropic endogenous signaling systems, the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This review article aims to describe and critically discuss, in the most comprehensive possible manner, the multifaceted aspects of 1) the pharmacology and potential impact on mammalian physiology of all major phytocannabinoids, and not only of the most famous one Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and 2) the adaptive pro-homeostatic physiological, or maladaptive pathological, roles of the ECS in mammalian cells, tissues, and organs. In doing so, we have respected the chronological order of the milestones of the millennial route from medicinal/recreational cannabis to the ECS and beyond, as it is now clear that some of the early steps in this long path, which were originally neglected, are becoming important again. The emerging picture is rather complex, but still supports the belief that more important discoveries on human physiology, and new therapies, might come in the future from new knowledge in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Ligresti
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Comprensorio Olivetti, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Luciano De Petrocellis
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Comprensorio Olivetti, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Di Marzo
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Comprensorio Olivetti, Pozzuoli, Italy
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Safety and pharmacokinetics of oral cannabidiol when administered concomitantly with intravenous fentanyl in humans. J Addict Med 2016; 9:204-10. [PMID: 25748562 DOI: 10.1097/adm.0000000000000118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Cannabidiol (CBD) is hypothesized as a potential treatment for opioid addiction, with safety studies an important first step for medication development. We determined CBD safety and pharmacokinetics when administered concomitantly with a high-potency opioid in healthy subjects. METHODS This double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study of CBD, coadministered with intravenous fentanyl, was conducted at the Clinical Research Center in Mount Sinai Hospital, a tertiary care medical center in New York City. Participants were healthy volunteers aged 21 to 65 years with prior opioid exposure, regardless of the route. Blood samples were obtained before and after 400 or 800 mg of CBD pretreatment, followed by a single 0.5 (session 1) or 1.0 μg/kg (session 2) of intravenous fentanyl dose. The primary outcome was the Systematic Assessment for Treatment Emergent Events (SAFTEE) to assess safety and adverse effects. CBD peak plasma concentrations, time to reach peak plasma concentrations (tmax), and area under the curve (AUC) were measured. RESULTS SAFTEE data were similar between groups without respiratory depression or cardiovascular complications during any test session. After low-dose CBD, tmax occurred at 3 and 1.5 hours in sessions 1 and 2, respectively. After high-dose CBD, tmax occurred at 3 and 4 hours in sessions 1 and 2, respectively. There were no significant differences in plasma CBD or cortisol (AUC P = NS) between sessions. CONCLUSIONS Cannabidiol does not exacerbate adverse effects associated with intravenous fentanyl administration. Coadministration of CBD and opioids was safe and well tolerated. These data provide the foundation for future studies examining CBD as a potential treatment for opioid abuse.
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Therapeutic Potential of Cannabinoids in Psychosis. Biol Psychiatry 2016; 79:604-12. [PMID: 26852073 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2015] [Revised: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Over recent years, the interest in the endocannabinoid system (ECS) as a new target for the treatment of schizophrenia has evolved. The ECS represents one of the most relevant neurotransmitter systems in the brain and mainly fulfills a homeostatic role in terms of neurotransmission but also with respect to inflammatory processes. Two main approaches to the modulation of endocannabinoid functioning have been chosen so far. First, the selective blockade or inverse agonism of the type 1 cannabinoid receptor has been tested for the improvement of acute psychotic symptoms, as well as for the improvement of cognitive functions in schizophrenia. This was not effective in either case. Second, the modulation of endocannabinoid levels by use of the phytocannabinoid cannabidiol and selective fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitors has been proposed, and the antipsychotic properties of cannabidiol are currently being investigated in humans. Unfortunately, for most of these trials that have focused on psychopathological and cognitive effects of cannabidiol, no published data are available. However, there is first evidence that cannabidiol may ameliorate psychotic symptoms with a superior side-effect profile compared with established antipsychotics. In conclusion, several clinical trials targeting the ECS in acute schizophrenia have either been completed or are underway. Although publicly available results are currently limited, preliminary data indicate that selected compounds modulating the ECS may be effective in acute schizophrenia. Nevertheless, so far, sample sizes of patients investigated are not sufficient to come to a final judgment, and no maintenance studies are available to ensure long-term efficacy and safety.
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Javid FA, Phillips RM, Afshinjavid S, Verde R, Ligresti A. Cannabinoid pharmacology in cancer research: A new hope for cancer patients? Eur J Pharmacol 2016; 775:1-14. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2016.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Revised: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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65
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Zlebnik NE, Cheer JF. Beyond the CB1 Receptor: Is Cannabidiol the Answer for Disorders of Motivation? Annu Rev Neurosci 2016; 39:1-17. [PMID: 27023732 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-070815-014038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The Cannabis sativa plant has been used to treat various physiological and psychiatric conditions for millennia. Current research is focused on isolating potentially therapeutic chemical constituents from the plant for use in the treatment of many central nervous system disorders. Of particular interest is the primary nonpsychoactive constituent cannabidiol (CBD). Unlike Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD does not act through the cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor but has many other receptor targets that may play a role in psychiatric disorders. Here we review preclinical and clinical data outlining the therapeutic efficacy of CBD for the treatment of motivational disorders such as drug addiction, anxiety, and depression. Across studies, findings suggest promising treatment effects and potentially overlapping mechanisms of action for CBD in these disorders and indicate the need for further systematic investigation of the viability of CBD as a psychiatric pharmacotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie E Zlebnik
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201;
| | - Joseph F Cheer
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201; .,Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201;
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Morales P, Goya P, Jagerovic N, Hernandez-Folgado L. Allosteric Modulators of the CB 1 Cannabinoid Receptor: A Structural Update Review. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2016; 1:22-30. [PMID: 28861476 PMCID: PMC5576597 DOI: 10.1089/can.2015.0005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2005, the first evidence of an allosteric binding site at the CB1R was provided by the identification of three indoles of the company Organon that were allosteric enhancers of agonist binding affinity and, functionally, allosteric inhibitors of agonist activity. Since then, structure–activity relationships of indoles as CB1R modulators have been reported. Targeting the allosteric site on CB1R, new families structurally based on urea and on 3-phenyltropane analogs of cocaine have been discovered as CB1R-negative allosteric modulators (NAMs), respectively, by Prosidion and by the Research Triangle Park. Endogenous allosteric ligands of different nature have been identified more recently. Thus, the therapeutic neuroprotection application of lipoxin A4, an arachidonic acid derivative, as an allosteric enhancer of CB1R activity has been confirmed in vivo. It was also the case of the steroid hormone, pregnenolone, whose negative allosteric effects on Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) were reproduced in vivo in a behavioral tetrad model and in food intake and memory impairment assays. Curiously, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ agonist fenofibrate or polypeptides such as pepcan-12 have been shown to act on the endocannabinoid system through CB1R allosteric modulation. The mechanistic bases of the effects of the phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) are still not fully explained. However, there is evidence that CBD behaves as an NAM of Δ9-THC- and 2-AG. Allosteric modulation at CB1R offers new opportunities for therapeutic applications. Therefore, further understanding of the chemical features required for allosteric modulation as well as their orthosteric probe dependence may broaden novel approaches for fine-tuning the signaling pathways of the CB1R.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Morales
- Instituto de Química Médica, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Goya
- Instituto de Química Médica, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nadine Jagerovic
- Instituto de Química Médica, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
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Laprairie RB, Bagher AM, Kelly MEM, Denovan-Wright EM. Cannabidiol is a negative allosteric modulator of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor. Br J Pharmacol 2015. [PMID: 26218440 DOI: 10.1111/bph.13250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 683] [Impact Index Per Article: 75.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cannabidiol has been reported to act as an antagonist at cannabinoid CB1 receptors. We hypothesized that cannabidiol would inhibit cannabinoid agonist activity through negative allosteric modulation of CB1 receptors. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Internalization of CB1 receptors, arrestin2 recruitment, and PLCβ3 and ERK1/2 phosphorylation, were quantified in HEK 293A cells heterologously expressing CB1 receptors and in the STHdh(Q7/Q7) cell model of striatal neurons endogenously expressing CB1 receptors. Cells were treated with 2-arachidonylglycerol or Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol alone and in combination with different concentrations of cannabidiol. KEY RESULTS Cannabidiol reduced the efficacy and potency of 2-arachidonylglycerol and Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol on PLCβ3- and ERK1/2-dependent signalling in cells heterologously (HEK 293A) or endogenously (STHdh(Q7/Q7)) expressing CB1 receptors. By reducing arrestin2 recruitment to CB1 receptors, cannabidiol treatment prevented internalization of these receptors. The allosteric activity of cannabidiol depended upon polar residues being present at positions 98 and 107 in the extracellular amino terminus of the CB1 receptor. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Cannabidiol behaved as a non-competitive negative allosteric modulator of CB1 receptors. Allosteric modulation, in conjunction with effects not mediated by CB1 receptors, may explain the in vivo effects of cannabidiol. Allosteric modulators of CB1 receptors have the potential to treat CNS and peripheral disorders while avoiding the adverse effects associated with orthosteric agonism or antagonism of these receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- R B Laprairie
- Departments of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - A M Bagher
- Departments of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - M E M Kelly
- Departments of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.,Opthamology and Visual Sciences, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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Marijuana, phytocannabinoids, the endocannabinoid system, and male fertility. J Assist Reprod Genet 2015; 32:1575-88. [PMID: 26277482 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-015-0553-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Accepted: 07/27/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Marijuana has the highest consumption rate among all of the illicit drugs used in the USA, and its popularity as both a recreational and medicinal drug is increasing especially among men of reproductive age. Male factor infertility is on the increase, and the exposure to the cannabinoid compounds released by marijuana could be a contributing cause. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is deeply involved in the complex regulation of male reproduction through the endogenous release of endocannabinoids and binding to cannabinoid receptors. Disturbing the delicate balance of the ECS due to marijuana use can negatively impact reproductive potential. Various in vivo and in vitro studies have reported on the empirical role that marijuana plays in disrupting the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis, spermatogenesis, and sperm function such as motility, capacitation, and the acrosome reaction. In this review, we highlight the latest evidence regarding the effect of marijuana use on male fertility and also provide a detailed insight into the ECS and its significance in the male reproductive system.
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van Amsterdam J, Brunt T, van den Brink W. The adverse health effects of synthetic cannabinoids with emphasis on psychosis-like effects. J Psychopharmacol 2015; 29:254-63. [PMID: 25586398 DOI: 10.1177/0269881114565142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of psychosis in vulnerable individuals. Cannabis containing high levels of the partial cannabinoid receptor subtype 1 (CB1) agonist tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is associated with the induction of psychosis in susceptible subjects and with the development of schizophrenia, whereas the use of cannabis variants with relatively high levels of cannabidiol (CBD) is associated with fewer psychotic experiences. Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) are full agonists and often more potent than THC. Moreover, in contrast to natural cannabis, SCRAs preparations contain no CBD so that these drugs may have a higher psychosis-inducing potential than cannabis. This paper reviews the general toxicity profile and the adverse effects of SCRAs with special emphasis on their psychosis-inducing risk. The review shows that, compared with the use of natural cannabis, the use of SCRAs may cause more frequent and more severe unwanted negative effects, especially in younger, inexperienced users. Psychosis and psychosis-like conditions seem to occur relatively often following the use of SCRAs, presumably due to their high potency and the absence of CBD in the preparations. Studies on the relative risk of SCRAs compared with natural cannabis to induce or evoke psychosis are urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan van Amsterdam
- Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tibor Brunt
- Trimbos Institute (Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction), Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Wim van den Brink
- Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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70
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Bondarenko AI. Endothelial atypical cannabinoid receptor: do we have enough evidence? Br J Pharmacol 2014; 171:5573-88. [PMID: 25073723 PMCID: PMC4290703 DOI: 10.1111/bph.12866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2014] [Revised: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabinoids and their synthetic analogues affect a broad range of physiological functions, including cardiovascular variables. Although direct evidence is still missing, the relaxation of a vast range of vascular beds induced by cannabinoids is believed to involve a still unidentified non-CB1 , non-CB2 Gi/o protein-coupled receptor located on endothelial cells, the so called endothelial cannabinoid receptor (eCB receptor). Evidence for the presence of an eCB receptor comes mainly from vascular relaxation studies, which commonly employ pertussis toxin as an indicator for GPCR-mediated signalling. In addition, a pharmacological approach is widely used to attribute the relaxation to eCB receptors. Recent findings have indicated a number of GPCR-independent targets for both agonists and antagonists of the presumed eCB receptor, warranting further investigations and cautious interpretation of the vascular relaxation studies. This review will provide a brief historical overview on the proposed novel eCB receptor, drawing attention to the discrepancies between the studies on the pharmacological profile of the eCB receptor and highlighting the Gi/o protein-independent actions of the eCB receptor inhibitors widely used as selective compounds. As the eCB receptor represents an attractive pharmacological target for a number of cardiovascular abnormalities, defining its molecular identity and the extent of its regulation of vascular function will have important implications for drug discovery. This review highlights the need to re-evaluate this subject in a thoughtful and rigorous fashion. More studies are needed to differentiate Gi/o protein-dependent endothelial cannabinoid signalling from that involving the classical CB1 and CB2 receptors as well as its relevance for pathophysiological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander I Bondarenko
- Circulatory Physiology Department, O.O.Bogomoletz Institute of PhysiologyKiev, Ukraine
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Medical University of GrazGraz, Austria
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Cannabidiol Exposure During Neuronal Differentiation Sensitizes Cells Against Redox-Active Neurotoxins. Mol Neurobiol 2014; 52:26-37. [PMID: 25108670 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-014-8843-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2014] [Accepted: 07/31/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the most abundant Cannabis sativa-derived compounds, has been implicated with neuroprotective effect in several human pathologies. Until now, no undesired side effects have been associated with CBD. In this study, we evaluated CBD's neuroprotective effect in terminal differentiation (mature) and during neuronal differentiation (neuronal developmental toxicity model) of the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line. A dose-response curve was performed to establish a sublethal dose of CBD with antioxidant activity (2.5 μM). In terminally differentiated SH-SY5Y cells, incubation with 2.5 μM CBD was unable to protect cells against the neurotoxic effect of glycolaldehyde, methylglyoxal, 6-hydroxydopamine, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Moreover, no difference in antioxidant potential and neurite density was observed. When SH-SY5Y cells undergoing neuronal differentiation were exposed to CBD, no differences in antioxidant potential and neurite density were observed. However, CBD potentiated the neurotoxicity induced by all redox-active drugs tested. Our data indicate that 2.5 μM of CBD, the higher dose tolerated by differentiated SH-SY5Y neuronal cells, does not provide neuroprotection for terminally differentiated cells and shows, for the first time, that exposure of CBD during neuronal differentiation could sensitize immature cells to future challenges with neurotoxins.
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Massi P, Solinas M, Cinquina V, Parolaro D. Cannabidiol as potential anticancer drug. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2013; 75:303-12. [PMID: 22506672 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04298.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past years, several lines of evidence support an antitumourigenic effect of cannabinoids including Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ(9)-THC), synthetic agonists, endocannabinoids and endocannabinoid transport or degradation inhibitors. Indeed, cannabinoids possess anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects and they are known to interfere with tumour neovascularization, cancer cell migration, adhesion, invasion and metastasization. However, the clinical use of Δ(9)-THC and additional cannabinoid agonists is often limited by their unwanted psychoactive side effects, and for this reason interest in non-psychoactive cannabinoid compounds with structural affinity for Δ(9)-THC, such as cannabidiol (CBD), has substantially increased in recent years. The present review will focus on the efficacy of CBD in the modulation of different steps of tumourigenesis in several types of cancer and highlights the importance of exploring CBD/CBD analogues as alternative therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Massi
- Department of Pharmacology, Chemotherapy and Toxicology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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Englund A, Morrison PD, Nottage J, Hague D, Kane F, Bonaccorso S, Stone JM, Reichenberg A, Brenneisen R, Holt D, Feilding A, Walker L, Murray RM, Kapur S. Cannabidiol inhibits THC-elicited paranoid symptoms and hippocampal-dependent memory impairment. J Psychopharmacol 2013; 27:19-27. [PMID: 23042808 DOI: 10.1177/0269881112460109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 322] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Community-based studies suggest that cannabis products that are high in Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) but low in cannabidiol (CBD) are particularly hazardous for mental health. Laboratory-based studies are ideal for clarifying this issue because THC and CBD can be administered in pure form, under controlled conditions. In a between-subjects design, we tested the hypothesis that pre-treatment with CBD inhibited THC-elicited psychosis and cognitive impairment. Healthy participants were randomised to receive oral CBD 600 mg (n=22) or placebo (n=26), 210 min ahead of intravenous (IV) THC (1.5 mg). Post-THC, there were lower PANSS positive scores in the CBD group, but this did not reach statistical significance. However, clinically significant positive psychotic symptoms (defined a priori as increases ≥ 3 points) were less likely in the CBD group compared with the placebo group, odds ratio (OR)=0.22 (χ²=4.74, p<0.05). In agreement, post-THC paranoia, as rated with the State Social Paranoia Scale (SSPS), was less in the CBD group compared with the placebo group (t=2.28, p<0.05). Episodic memory, indexed by scores on the Hopkins Verbal Learning Task-revised (HVLT-R), was poorer, relative to baseline, in the placebo pre-treated group (-10.6 ± 18.9%) compared with the CBD group (-0.4% ± 9.7 %) (t=2.39, p<0.05). These findings support the idea that high-THC/low-CBD cannabis products are associated with increased risks for mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Englund
- The Biomedical Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK
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Bolognini D, Cascio MG, Parolaro D, Pertwee RG. AM630 behaves as a protean ligand at the human cannabinoid CB2 receptor. Br J Pharmacol 2012; 165:2561-74. [PMID: 21615724 DOI: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2011.01503.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE We have investigated how pre-incubating hCB(2) CHO cells with the CB(2) receptor antagonists/inverse agonists, AM630 and SR144528, affects how these and other ligands target hCB(2) receptors in these cells or their membranes. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We tested the ability of AM630, SR144528 and of the CB(1) /CB(2) receptor agonists, CP55940 and R-(+)-WIN55212, to modulate forskolin-stimulated cAMP production in hCB(2) CHO cells or [(35) S]-GTPγS binding to membranes prepared from these cells, or to displace [(3) H]-CP55940 from whole cells and membranes. Assays were also performed with the CB(2) receptor partial agonist, Δ(9) -tetrahydrocannabivarin. Some cells were pre-incubated with AM630 or SR144528 and then washed extensively. KEY RESULTS AM630 behaved as a low-potency neutral competitive antagonist in AM630-pre-incubated cells, a low-potency agonist in SR144528-pre-incubated cells, and a much higher-potency inverse agonist/antagonist in vehicle-pre-incubated cells. AM630 pre-incubation (i) reduced the inverse efficacy of SR144528 without abolishing it; (ii) increased the efficacy of Δ(9) -tetrahydrocannabivarin; and (iii) did not affect the potency with which AM630 displaced [(3) H]-CP55940 from whole cells or its inverse agonist potency and efficacy in the [(35) S]-GTPγS membrane assay. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS These results suggest that AM630 is a protean ligand that can target a constitutively active form of the hCB(2) receptor (R*) with low affinity to produce agonism or neutral antagonism and a constitutively inactive form of this receptor (R) with much higher affinity to produce inverse agonism, and that the constitutive activity of whole cells is decreased less by pre-incubation with AM630 than with the higher-efficacy inverse agonist, SR144528. LINKED ARTICLES This article is part of a themed section on Cannabinoids in Biology and Medicine. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2012.165.issue-8. To view Part I of Cannabinoids in Biology and Medicine visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2011.163.issue-7.
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Cannabidiol in humans-the quest for therapeutic targets. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2012; 5:529-52. [PMID: 24281562 PMCID: PMC3763649 DOI: 10.3390/ph5050529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2012] [Revised: 05/14/2012] [Accepted: 05/15/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabidiol (CBD), a major phytocannabinoid constituent of cannabis, is attracting growing attention in medicine for its anxiolytic, antipsychotic, antiemetic and anti-inflammatory properties. However, up to this point, a comprehensive literature review of the effects of CBD in humans is lacking. The aim of the present systematic review is to examine the randomized and crossover studies that administered CBD to healthy controls and to clinical patients. A systematic search was performed in the electronic databases PubMed and EMBASE using the key word “cannabidiol”. Both monotherapy and combination studies (e.g., CBD + ∆9-THC) were included. A total of 34 studies were identified: 16 of these were experimental studies, conducted in healthy subjects, and 18 were conducted in clinical populations, including multiple sclerosis (six studies), schizophrenia and bipolar mania (four studies), social anxiety disorder (two studies), neuropathic and cancer pain (two studies), cancer anorexia (one study), Huntington’s disease (one study), insomnia (one study), and epilepsy (one study). Experimental studies indicate that a high-dose of inhaled/intravenous CBD is required to inhibit the effects of a lower dose of ∆9-THC. Moreover, some experimental and clinical studies suggest that oral/oromucosal CBD may prolong and/or intensify ∆9-THC-induced effects, whereas others suggest that it may inhibit ∆9-THC-induced effects. Finally, preliminary clinical trials suggest that high-dose oral CBD (150–600 mg/d) may exert a therapeutic effect for social anxiety disorder, insomnia and epilepsy, but also that it may cause mental sedation. Potential pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic explanations for these results are discussed.
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Rock EM, Bolognini D, Limebeer CL, Cascio MG, Anavi-Goffer S, Fletcher PJ, Mechoulam R, Pertwee RG, Parker LA. Cannabidiol, a non-psychotropic component of cannabis, attenuates vomiting and nausea-like behaviour via indirect agonism of 5-HT(1A) somatodendritic autoreceptors in the dorsal raphe nucleus. Br J Pharmacol 2012; 165:2620-34. [PMID: 21827451 PMCID: PMC3423241 DOI: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2011.01621.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2011] [Revised: 07/04/2011] [Accepted: 07/15/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE To evaluate the hypothesis that activation of somatodendritic 5-HT(1A) autoreceptors in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) produces the anti-emetic/anti-nausea effects of cannabidiol (CBD), a primary non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH The potential of systemic and intra-DRN administration of 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonists, WAY100135 or WAY100635, to prevent the anti-emetic effect of CBD in shrews (Suncus murinus) and the anti-nausea-like effects of CBD (conditioned gaping) in rats were evaluated. Also, the ability of intra-DRN administration of CBD to produce anti-nausea-like effects (and reversal by systemic WAY100635) was assessed. In vitro studies evaluated the potential of CBD to directly target 5-HT(1A) receptors and to modify the ability of the 5-HT(1A) agonist, 8-OH-DPAT, to stimulate [(35) S]GTPγS binding in rat brainstem membranes. KEY RESULTS CBD suppressed nicotine-, lithium chloride (LiCl)- and cisplatin (20 mg·kg(-1) , but not 40 mg·kg(-1) )-induced vomiting in the S. murinus and LiCl-induced conditioned gaping in rats. Anti-emetic and anti-nausea-like effects of CBD were suppressed by WAY100135 and the latter by WAY100635. When administered to the DRN: (i) WAY100635 reversed anti-nausea-like effects of systemic CBD, and (ii) CBD suppressed nausea-like effects, an effect that was reversed by systemic WAY100635. CBD also displayed significant potency (in a bell-shaped dose-response curve) at enhancing the ability of 8-OH-DPAT to stimulate [(35) S]GTPγS binding to rat brainstem membranes in vitro. Systemically administered CBD and 8-OH-DPAT synergistically suppressed LiCl-induced conditioned gaping. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS These results suggest that CBD produced its anti-emetic/anti-nausea effects by indirect activation of the somatodendritic 5-HT(1A) autoreceptors in the DRN. LINKED ARTICLES This article is part of a themed section on Cannabinoids in Biology and Medicine. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2012.165.issue-8. To view Part I of Cannabinoids in Biology and Medicine visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2011.163.issue-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- E M Rock
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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Rawal SY, Dabbous MK, Tipton DA. Effect of cannabidiol on human gingival fibroblast extracellular matrix metabolism: MMP production and activity, and production of fibronectin and transforming growth factor β. J Periodontal Res 2011; 47:320-9. [PMID: 22092062 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.2011.01435.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Marijuana (Cannabis sativa) use may be associated with gingival enlargement, resembling that caused by phenytoin. Cannabidiol (CBD), a nonpsychotropic Cannabis derivative, is structurally similar to phenytoin. While there are many reports on effects of phenytoin on human gingival fibroblasts, there is no information on effects of Cannabis components on these cells. The objective of this study was to determine effects of CBD on human gingival fibroblast fibrogenic and matrix-degrading activities. MATERIAL AND METHODS Fibroblasts were incubated with CBD in serum-free medium for 1-6 d. The effect of CBD on cell viability was determined by measuring activity of a mitochondrial enzyme. The fibrogenic molecule transforming growth factor β and the extracellular matrix molecule fibronectin were measured by ELISA. Pro-MMP-1 and total MMP-2 were measured by ELISA. Activity of MMP-2 was determined via a colorimetric assay in which a detection enzyme is activated by active MMP-2. Data were analysed using ANOVA and Scheffe's F procedure for post hoc comparisons. RESULTS Cannabidiol had little or no significant effect on cell viability. Low CBD concentrations increased transforming growth factor β production by as much as 40% (p < 0.001), while higher concentrations decreased it by as much as 40% (p < 0.0001). Cannabidiol increased fibronectin production by as much as approximately 100% (p < 0.001). Lower CBD concentrations increased MMP production, but the highest concentrations decreased production of both MMPs (p < 0.05) and decreased MMP-2 activity (p < 0.02). CONCLUSION The data suggest that the CBD may promote fibrotic gingival enlargement by increasing gingival fibroblast production of transforming growth factor β and fibronectin, while decreasing MMP production and activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Y Rawal
- College of Dentistry, Department of Periodontology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
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Hill AJ, Williams CM, Whalley BJ, Stephens GJ. Phytocannabinoids as novel therapeutic agents in CNS disorders. Pharmacol Ther 2011; 133:79-97. [PMID: 21924288 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2011.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2011] [Accepted: 08/20/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
The Cannabis sativa herb contains over 100 phytocannabinoid (pCB) compounds and has been used for thousands of years for both recreational and medicinal purposes. In the past two decades, characterisation of the body's endogenous cannabinoid (CB) (endocannabinoid, eCB) system (ECS) has highlighted activation of central CB(1) receptors by the major pCB, Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ(9)-THC) as the primary mediator of the psychoactive, hyperphagic and some of the potentially therapeutic properties of ingested cannabis. Whilst Δ(9)-THC is the most prevalent and widely studied pCB, it is also the predominant psychotropic component of cannabis, a property that likely limits its widespread therapeutic use as an isolated agent. In this regard, research focus has recently widened to include other pCBs including cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), Δ(9)tetrahydrocannabivarin (Δ(9)-THCV) and cannabidivarin (CBDV), some of which show potential as therapeutic agents in preclinical models of CNS disease. Moreover, it is becoming evident that these non-Δ(9)-THC pCBs act at a wide range of pharmacological targets, not solely limited to CB receptors. Disorders that could be targeted include epilepsy, neurodegenerative diseases, affective disorders and the central modulation of feeding behaviour. Here, we review pCB effects in preclinical models of CNS disease and, where available, clinical trial data that support therapeutic effects. Such developments may soon yield the first non-Δ(9)-THC pCB-based medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Hill
- School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 6UB, United Kingdom
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79
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Banerjee A, Singh A, Srivastava P, Turner H, Krishna A. Effects of chronic bhang (cannabis) administration on the reproductive system of male mice. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 92:195-205. [PMID: 21678546 DOI: 10.1002/bdrb.20295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2010] [Accepted: 03/30/2011] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of chronic uptake of bhang, prepared from the Cannabis sativa, on male reproductive physiology in adult male Parkes strain (P) mice. An attempt was also made to investigate the presence of cannabinoid 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid 2 (CB2) receptors, and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) in the testis and to evaluate any changes in it resulting from chronic intake of bhang in mice. METHODS AND RESULTS Adult male mice were given bhang (3 or 6 mg/kg body weight/day) orally for 36 consecutive days. Chronic intake of bhang caused regressive changes in the testes and suppressed sperm count, viability and motility. Bhang intake also caused significant decline in circulating testosterone level due to decline in testicular 3β HSD enzyme activity. An immunohistochemical study demonstrated the presence of CB1, CB2 and FAAH in the testis of mice. The present study also showed significant variation in the CB1 and CB2 receptors and FAAH protein levels in testes of mice exposed to bhang. These suppressive effects may be due to inhibitory effect of bhang on pituitary expression of gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) I receptor protein. Treatment of testes with bhang in vitro significantly decreased testicular luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) and FAAH expression suggesting direct action of bhang on testicular activity. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study thus suggest that bhang may impair fertility in male mice through alteration in the testicular endocannabinoid system and that chronic bhang exposure in humans would be predicted to alter male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnab Banerjee
- Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
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80
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Tyagi P, Tyagi V, Yoshimura N, Chancellor M. Functional role of cannabinoid receptors in urinary bladder. Indian J Urol 2011; 26:26-35. [PMID: 20535281 PMCID: PMC2878434 DOI: 10.4103/0970-1591.60440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabinoids, the active components of Cannabis sativa (maijuana), and their derivatives produce a wide spectrum of central and peripheral effects, some of which may have clinical applications. The discovery of specific cannabinoid receptors and a family of endogenous ligands of those receptors has attracted much attention to the general cannabinoid pharmacology. In recent years, studies on the functional role of cannabinoid receptors in bladder have been motivated by the therapeutic effects of cannabinoids on voiding dysfunction in multiple sclerosis patients. In this review, we shall summarize the literature on the expression of cannabinoid receptors in urinary bladder and the peripheral influence of locally and systemically administered cannabinoids in the bladder. The ongoing search for cannabinoid-based therapeutic strategies devoid of psychotropic effects can be complemented with local delivery into bladder by the intravesical route. A greater understanding of the role of the peripheral CB1 and CB2 receptor system in lower urinary tract is necessary to allow the development of new treatment for pelvic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradeep Tyagi
- Departments of Urology, William Beaumont Hospital, MI, USA
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81
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Capasso R, Aviello G, Borrelli F, Romano B, Ferro M, Castaldo L, Montanaro V, Altieri V, Izzo AA. Inhibitory Effect of Standardized Cannabis sativa Extract and Its Ingredient Cannabidiol on Rat and Human Bladder Contractility. Urology 2011; 77:1006.e9-1006.e15. [DOI: 10.1016/j.urology.2010.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2010] [Revised: 12/05/2010] [Accepted: 12/05/2010] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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82
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Cannabidiol inhibits the hyperphagia induced by cannabinoid-1 or serotonin-1A receptor agonists. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2011; 98:268-72. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2011.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2010] [Revised: 12/01/2010] [Accepted: 01/08/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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83
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Structural and pharmacological analysis of O-2050, a putative neutral cannabinoid CB(1) receptor antagonist. Eur J Pharmacol 2010; 651:96-105. [PMID: 21114999 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2010.10.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2010] [Revised: 10/14/2010] [Accepted: 10/29/2010] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Rimonabant, the prototypic antagonist of cannabinoid CB(1) receptors, has been reported to have inverse agonist properties at higher concentrations, which may complicate its use as a tool for mechanistic evaluation of cannabinoid pharmacology. Consequently, recent synthesis efforts have concentrated on discovery of a neutral antagonist using a variety of structural templates. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacological properties of the putative neutral cannabinoid CB(1) receptor antagonist O-2050, a sulfonamide side chain analog of Δ(8)-tetrahydrocannabinol. O-2050 and related sulfonamide cannabinoids exhibited good affinity for both cannabinoid CB(1) and CB(2) receptors. While the other sulfonamide analogs produced cannabinoid agonist effects in vivo (e.g., activity suppression, antinociception, and hypothermia), O-2050 stimulated activity and was inactive in the other two tests. O-2050 also decreased food intake in mice, an effect that was reminiscent of that produced by rimonabant. Unlike rimonabant, however, O-2050 did not block the effects of cannabinoid agonists in vivo, even when administered i.c.v. In contrast, O-2050 antagonized the in vitro effects of cannabinoid agonists in [(35)S]GTPγS and mouse vas deferens assays without having activity on its own in either assay. Further evaluation revealed that O-2050 fully and dose-dependently substituted for Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol in a mouse drug discrimination procedure (a cannabinoid agonist effect) and that it inhibited forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP signaling with a maximum efficacy of approximately half that of the full agonist CP55,940 [(-)-cis-3-[2-hydroxy-4(1,1-dimethyl-heptyl)phenyl]-trans-4-(3-hydroxy-propyl)cyclohexanol]. Together, these results suggest that O-2050 is not a viable candidate for classification as a neutral cannabinoid CB(1) receptor antagonist.
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84
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Cascio MG, Gauson LA, Stevenson LA, Ross RA, Pertwee RG. Evidence that the plant cannabinoid cannabigerol is a highly potent alpha2-adrenoceptor agonist and moderately potent 5HT1A receptor antagonist. Br J Pharmacol 2009; 159:129-41. [PMID: 20002104 DOI: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2009.00515.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cannabis is the source of at least seventy phytocannabinoids. The pharmacology of most of these has been little investigated, three notable exceptions being Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol and Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabivarin. This investigation addressed the question of whether the little-studied phytocannabinoid, cannabigerol, can activate or block any G protein-coupled receptor. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH The [(35)S]GTPgammaS binding assay, performed with mouse brain membranes, was used to test the ability of cannabigerol to produce G protein-coupled receptor activation or blockade. Its ability to displace [(3)H]CP55940 from mouse CB(1) and human CB(2) cannabinoid receptors and to inhibit electrically evoked contractions of the mouse isolated vas deferens was also investigated. KEY RESULTS In the brain membrane experiments, cannabigerol behaved as a potent alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonist (EC(50)= 0.2 nM) and antagonized the 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist, R-(+)-8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (apparent K(B)= 51.9 nM). At 10 microM, it also behaved as a CB(1) receptor competitive antagonist. Additionally, cannabigerol inhibited evoked contractions of the vas deferens in a manner that appeared to be alpha(2)-adrenoceptor-mediated (EC(50)= 72.8 nM) and displayed significant affinity for mouse CB(1) and human CB(2) receptors. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS This investigation has provided the first evidence that cannabigerol can activate alpha(2)-adrenoceptors, bind to cannabinoid CB(1) and CB(2) receptors and block CB(1) and 5-HT(1A) receptors. It will now be important to investigate why cannabigerol produced signs of agonism more potently in the [(35)S]GTPgammaS binding assay than in the vas deferens and also whether it can inhibit noradrenaline uptake in this isolated tissue and in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- M G Cascio
- School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK
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85
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Cascio MG, Bolognini D, Pertwee RG, Palazzo E, Corelli F, Pasquini S, Di Marzo V, Maione S. In vitro and in vivo pharmacological characterization of two novel selective cannabinoid CB(2) receptor inverse agonists. Pharmacol Res 2009; 61:349-54. [PMID: 19961936 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2009.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2009] [Revised: 11/26/2009] [Accepted: 11/27/2009] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
We have previously developed quinolone-3-carboxamides with the aim of obtaining new ligands for both cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2. Our preliminary screening led to the identification of cannabinoid receptor ligands characterized by high affinity and, in some cases, also selectivity for CB(2) receptors. Specifically, three compounds, 1, 2 and 3 showed high affinity for CB2 as well as high selectivity over CB1 receptors. In addition, the activity shown by 1 against the formalin-induced nocifensive response in mice, reported in our previous paper, suggests that quinolone-3-carboxamides possess anti-nociceptive properties. In the present work, we have performed functional in vitro bioassays with the aim of investigating the functional activity in the [35S]GTPgammaS binding assay of the other two compounds that, like 1, behave as CB2 selective ligands, and their potential analgesic actions in vivo. We found that both 2 and 3 behave in vitro as CB2 inverse agonists and are able to decrease nociceptive behaviour in the late phase of the formalin test only at the highest dose tested, although, at lower doses, they prevent the anti-nociceptive effects of a selective CB2 partial agonist in the formalin test. These results identify in 2 and 3 two novel, potent and selective CB2 antagonists/inverse agonists and confirm previous reports in the literature that, in addition to agonists at cannabinoid CB2 receptors, also inverse agonists/antagonists at these receptors show promise as anti-inflammatory agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Grazia Cascio
- School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
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86
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Resstel LBM, Tavares RF, Lisboa SFS, Joca SRL, Corrêa FMA, Guimarães FS. 5-HT1A receptors are involved in the cannabidiol-induced attenuation of behavioural and cardiovascular responses to acute restraint stress in rats. Br J Pharmacol 2009; 156:181-8. [PMID: 19133999 DOI: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2008.00046.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychotomimetic compound from Cannabis sativa which induces anxiolytic- and antipsychotic-like effects in rodents. These effects could be mediated by facilitation of the endocannabinoid system or by the activation of 5-HT(1A) receptors. As either of these mechanisms could promote adaptation to inescapable stress, the aim of the present work was to test the hypothesis that CBD would attenuate the autonomic and behavioural consequences of restraint stress (RS). We also investigated if the responses to CBD depended on activation of 5-HT(1A) receptors. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Male Wistar rats received i.p. injections of vehicle or CBD (1, 10 or 20 mg kg(-1)) and 30 min later were submitted to 60 min of restraint where their cardiovascular responses were recorded. The protocol of the second experiment was similar to the first one except that animals received i.p. injections of the 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist WAY100635 (0.1 mg kg(-1)) before CBD treatment and exposure to restraint. 24 h later they were also tested in the elevated plus-maze (EPM), an animal model of anxiety. KEY RESULTS Exposure to RS increased blood pressure and heart rate and induced an anxiogenic response in the EPM 24 h later. These effects were attenuated by CBD. WAY100635 by itself did not change the cardiovascular and anxiogenic response to RS, but blocked the effects of CBD. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS The results suggest that CBD can attenuate acute autonomic responses to stress and its delayed emotional consequences by facilitating 5-HT(1A) receptor-mediated neurotransmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo B M Resstel
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
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87
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Abstract
Cannabinoids, the main active components of marijuana, have been shown to exert different adverse effects on male reproduction both in vertebrates and invertebrates. In vivo, cannabinoids exert negative effects on hypothalamic-hypophyseal reproductive hormone secretion and testicular endocrine and exocrine functions. Furthermore, a large amount of experimental data obtained in vitro have clearly shown that cannabinoids negatively influence important sperm functions, including motility and acrosome reaction, two fundamental processes necessary for oocyte fertilisation. These inhibitory effects are mediated by the direct action of cannabinoids on sperm through the activation of the cannabinoid receptor subtype CNR1 that has been shown to be expressed in mature sperm. In the present paper, we briefly review the effects of cannabinoids and endocannabinoids, a particular group of endogenously produced cannabinoids, on male reproductive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Rossato
- Endocrine-Metabolic Laboratory, Clinica Medica 3, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
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88
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Dicou E. Cannabidiol: A prion therapy for mice? J Neurosci Res 2008; 86:1417-8. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.21694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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89
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Cacciola G, Chioccarelli T, Ricci G, Meccariello R, Fasano S, Pierantoni R, Cobellis G. The endocannabinoid system in vertebrate male reproduction: a comparative overview. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2008; 286:S24-30. [PMID: 18342433 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2008.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2007] [Revised: 01/11/2008] [Accepted: 01/11/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Prevailing studies emphasize on endocannabinoid activity in brain. However, sporadic evidences hint that endocannabinoid system controls male reproduction ranging from invertebrates to vertebrates. Although N-arachidonoylethanolamine is described in rat testis, its activity is still poorly known. Type-1 cannabinoid receptor and fatty acid amide hydrolase are particularly expressed in elongating spermatids and spermatozoa suggesting that endocannabinoids affect spermiogenesis and sperm physiology. Aim of this paper is to provide an analysis of the information available in vertebrates on male germ cell progression and sperm maturation mediated by the endocannabinoid system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Cacciola
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Sez. "F. Bottazzi", II Università degli Studi di Napoli, Via Costantinopoli 16, 80138 Napoli, Italy
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90
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Mechoulam R, Peters M, Murillo-Rodriguez E, Hanus LO. Cannabidiol--recent advances. Chem Biodivers 2007; 4:1678-92. [PMID: 17712814 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.200790147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 339] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this review is to present some of the recent publications on cannabidiol (CBD; 2), a major non-psychoactive constituent of Cannabis, and to give a general overview. Special emphasis is laid on biochemical and pharmacological advances, and on novel mechanisms recently put forward, to shed light on some of the pharmacological effects that can possibly be rationalized through these mechanisms. The plethora of positive pharmacological effects observed with CBD make this compound a highly attractive therapeutic entity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Mechoulam
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Products, Hebrew University Medical Faculty, Jerusalem 91120, Israel.
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91
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Pertwee RG. The diverse CB1 and CB2 receptor pharmacology of three plant cannabinoids: delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol and delta9-tetrahydrocannabivarin. Br J Pharmacol 2007; 153:199-215. [PMID: 17828291 PMCID: PMC2219532 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0707442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1278] [Impact Index Per Article: 75.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabis sativa is the source of a unique set of compounds known collectively as plant cannabinoids or phytocannabinoids. This review focuses on the manner with which three of these compounds, (-)-trans-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta9-THC), (-)-cannabidiol (CBD) and (-)-trans-delta9-tetrahydrocannabivarin (delta9-THCV), interact with cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors. Delta9-THC, the main psychotropic constituent of cannabis, is a CB1 and CB2 receptor partial agonist and in line with classical pharmacology, the responses it elicits appear to be strongly influenced both by the expression level and signalling efficiency of cannabinoid receptors and by ongoing endogenous cannabinoid release. CBD displays unexpectedly high potency as an antagonist of CB1/CB2 receptor agonists in CB1- and CB2-expressing cells or tissues, the manner with which it interacts with CB2 receptors providing a possible explanation for its ability to inhibit evoked immune cell migration. Delta9-THCV behaves as a potent CB2 receptor partial agonist in vitro. In contrast, it antagonizes cannabinoid receptor agonists in CB1-expressing tissues. This it does with relatively high potency and in a manner that is both tissue and ligand dependent. Delta9-THCV also interacts with CB1 receptors when administered in vivo, behaving either as a CB1 antagonist or, at higher doses, as a CB1 receptor agonist. Brief mention is also made in this review, first of the production by delta9-THC of pharmacodynamic tolerance, second of current knowledge about the extent to which delta9-THC, CBD and delta9-THCV interact with pharmacological targets other than CB1 or CB2 receptors, and third of actual and potential therapeutic applications for each of these cannabinoids.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cannabidiol/pharmacology
- Dronabinol/analogs & derivatives
- Dronabinol/pharmacology
- Drug Tolerance
- Humans
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/agonists
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/drug effects
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/agonists
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/drug effects
- Synaptic Transmission/drug effects
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Affiliation(s)
- R G Pertwee
- School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
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92
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Ryan D, Drysdale AJ, Pertwee RG, Platt B. Interactions of cannabidiol with endocannabinoid signalling in hippocampal tissue. Eur J Neurosci 2007; 25:2093-102. [PMID: 17419758 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2007.05448.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) possesses no psychotropic activity amid potentially beneficial therapeutic applications. We here characterized interactions between CBD (1 microM) and the endocannabinoid system in cultured rat hippocampal cells. The CBD-induced Ca2+ rise observed in neurons and glia was markedly reduced in the presence of the endogenous cannabinoid anandamide in neurons, with no alteration seen in glia. Neuronal CBD responses were even more reduced in the presence of the more abundant endocannabinoid 2-arachidonyl glycerol, this action was maintained in the presence of the CB1 receptor antagonist AM281 (100 nM). Neuronal CBD responses were also reduced by pre-exposure to glutamate, expected to increase endocannabinoid levels by increasing in [Ca2+]i. Application of AM281 at 1 microM elevated CBD-induced Ca2+ responses in both cell types, further confirming our finding that endocannabinoid-mediated signalling is negatively coupled to the action of CBD. However, upregulation of endogenous levels of endocannabinoids via inhibition of endocannabinoid hydrolysis (with URB597 and MAFP) could not be achieved under resting conditions. Because delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol did not mimic the endocannabinoid actions, and pertussis toxin treatment had no effect on CBD responses, we propose that the effects of AM281 were mediated via a constitutively active signalling pathway independent of CB1 signalling. Instead, signalling via G(q/11) and phospholipase C appears to be negatively coupled to CBD-induced Ca2+ responses, as the inhibitor U73122 enhanced CBD responses. Our data highlight the interaction between exogenous and endogenous cannabinoid signalling, and provide evidence for the presence of an additional pharmacological target, sensitive to endocannabinoids and to AM281.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duncan Ryan
- School of Medical Sciences, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD Scotland, UK
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93
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Thomas A, Baillie GL, Phillips AM, Razdan RK, Ross RA, Pertwee RG. Cannabidiol displays unexpectedly high potency as an antagonist of CB1 and CB2 receptor agonists in vitro. Br J Pharmacol 2007; 150:613-23. [PMID: 17245363 PMCID: PMC2189767 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0707133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 536] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE A nonpsychoactive constituent of the cannabis plant, cannabidiol has been demonstrated to have low affinity for both cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors. We have shown previously that cannabidiol can enhance electrically evoked contractions of the mouse vas deferens, suggestive of inverse agonism. We have also shown that cannabidiol can antagonize cannabinoid receptor agonists in this tissue with a greater potency than we would expect from its poor affinity for cannabinoid receptors. This study aimed to investigate whether these properties of cannabidiol extend to CB1 receptors expressed in mouse brain and to human CB2 receptors that have been transfected into CHO cells. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH The [35S]GTPS binding assay was used to determine both the efficacy of cannabidiol and the ability of cannabidiol to antagonize cannabinoid receptor agonists (CP55940 and R-(+)-WIN55212) at the mouse CB1 and the human CB2 receptor. KEY RESULTS This paper reports firstly that cannabidiol displays inverse agonism at the human CB2 receptor. Secondly, we demonstrate that cannabidiol is a high potency antagonist of cannabinoid receptor agonists in mouse brain and in membranes from CHO cells transfected with human CB2 receptors. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS This study has provided the first evidence that cannabidiol can display CB2 receptor inverse agonism, an action that appears to be responsible for its antagonism of CP55940 at the human CB2 receptor. The ability of cannabidiol to behave as a CB2 receptor inverse agonist may contribute to its documented anti-inflammatory properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Thomas
- School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK.
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94
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Pertwee RG, Thomas A, Stevenson LA, Ross RA, Varvel SA, Lichtman AH, Martin BR, Razdan RK. The psychoactive plant cannabinoid, Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is antagonized by Delta8- and Delta9-tetrahydrocannabivarin in mice in vivo. Br J Pharmacol 2007; 150:586-94. [PMID: 17245367 PMCID: PMC2189766 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0707124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE To follow up in vitro evidence that Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabivarin extracted from cannabis (eDelta(9)-THCV) is a CB(1) receptor antagonist by establishing whether synthetic Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabivarin (O-4394) and Delta(8)-tetrahydrocannabivarin (O-4395) behave as CB(1) antagonists in vivo. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH O-4394 and O-4395 were compared with eDelta(9)-THCV as displacers of [(3)H]-CP55940 from specific CB(1) binding sites on mouse brain membranes and as antagonists of CP55940 in [(35)S]GTPgammaS binding assays performed with mouse brain membranes and of R-(+)-WIN55212 in mouse isolated vasa deferentia. Their ability to antagonize in vivo effects of 3 or 10 mg kg(-1) (i.v.) Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol in mice was then investigated. KEY RESULTS O-4394 and O-4395 exhibited similar potencies to eDelta(9)-THCV as displacers of [(3)H]-CP55940 (K (i)=46.6 and 64.4 nM, respectively) and as antagonists of CP55940 in the [(35)S]GTPgammaS binding assay (apparent K (B)=82.1 and 125.9 nM, respectively) and R-(+)-WIN55212 in the vas deferens (apparent K (B)=4.8 and 3.9 nM respectively). At i.v. doses of 0.1, 0.3, 1.0 and/or 3 mg kg(-1) O-4394 and O-4395 attenuated Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol-induced anti-nociception (tail-flick test) and hypothermia (rectal temperature). O-4395 but not O-4394 also antagonized Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol-induced ring immobility. By themselves, O-4395 and O-4394 induced ring immobility at 3 or 10 mg kg(-1) (i.v.) and antinociception at doses above 10 mg kg(-1) (i.v.). O-4395 also induced hypothermia at 3 mg kg(-1) (i.v.) and above. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS O-4394 and O-4395 exhibit similar in vitro potencies to eDelta(9)-THCV as CB(1) receptor ligands and as antagonists of cannabinoid receptor agonists and can antagonize Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol in vivo.
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MESH Headings
- Analgesics, Non-Narcotic/antagonists & inhibitors
- Animals
- Benzoxazines/pharmacology
- Binding, Competitive
- Body Temperature/drug effects
- Brain/drug effects
- Brain/metabolism
- Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists
- Cannabinoid Receptor Antagonists
- Cyclohexanes/metabolism
- Cyclohexanes/pharmacology
- Cyclohexanols
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
- Dronabinol/analogs & derivatives
- Dronabinol/antagonists & inhibitors
- Dronabinol/metabolism
- Dronabinol/pharmacology
- Electric Stimulation
- Guanosine 5'-O-(3-Thiotriphosphate)/metabolism
- In Vitro Techniques
- Locomotion/drug effects
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred ICR
- Morpholines/pharmacology
- Muscle Contraction/drug effects
- Muscle, Smooth/drug effects
- Muscle, Smooth/metabolism
- Naphthalenes/pharmacology
- Pain Measurement
- Pain Threshold/drug effects
- Phenols/metabolism
- Phenols/pharmacology
- Protein Binding
- Psychotropic Drugs/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptors, Cannabinoid/metabolism
- Vas Deferens/drug effects
- Vas Deferens/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- R G Pertwee
- School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen Aberdeen, UK
- Author for correspondence:
| | - A Thomas
- School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen Aberdeen, UK
| | - L A Stevenson
- School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen Aberdeen, UK
| | - R A Ross
- School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen Aberdeen, UK
| | - S A Varvel
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA, USA
| | - A H Lichtman
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA, USA
| | - B R Martin
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA, USA
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95
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Pacher P, Bátkai S, Kunos G. The endocannabinoid system as an emerging target of pharmacotherapy. Pharmacol Rev 2006; 58:389-462. [PMID: 16968947 PMCID: PMC2241751 DOI: 10.1124/pr.58.3.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1458] [Impact Index Per Article: 81.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent identification of cannabinoid receptors and their endogenous lipid ligands has triggered an exponential growth of studies exploring the endocannabinoid system and its regulatory functions in health and disease. Such studies have been greatly facilitated by the introduction of selective cannabinoid receptor antagonists and inhibitors of endocannabinoid metabolism and transport, as well as mice deficient in cannabinoid receptors or the endocannabinoid-degrading enzyme fatty acid amidohydrolase. In the past decade, the endocannabinoid system has been implicated in a growing number of physiological functions, both in the central and peripheral nervous systems and in peripheral organs. More importantly, modulating the activity of the endocannabinoid system turned out to hold therapeutic promise in a wide range of disparate diseases and pathological conditions, ranging from mood and anxiety disorders, movement disorders such as Parkinson's and Huntington's disease, neuropathic pain, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury, to cancer, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, stroke, hypertension, glaucoma, obesity/metabolic syndrome, and osteoporosis, to name just a few. An impediment to the development of cannabinoid medications has been the socially unacceptable psychoactive properties of plant-derived or synthetic agonists, mediated by CB(1) receptors. However, this problem does not arise when the therapeutic aim is achieved by treatment with a CB(1) receptor antagonist, such as in obesity, and may also be absent when the action of endocannabinoids is enhanced indirectly through blocking their metabolism or transport. The use of selective CB(2) receptor agonists, which lack psychoactive properties, could represent another promising avenue for certain conditions. The abuse potential of plant-derived cannabinoids may also be limited through the use of preparations with controlled composition and the careful selection of dose and route of administration. The growing number of preclinical studies and clinical trials with compounds that modulate the endocannabinoid system will probably result in novel therapeutic approaches in a number of diseases for which current treatments do not fully address the patients' need. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview on the current state of knowledge of the endocannabinoid system as a target of pharmacotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pál Pacher
- Laboratory of Physiological Studies, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 5625 Fishers Lane, Room 2S-24, Bethesda, MD 20892-9413, USA
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96
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Fadda P, Robinson L, Fratta W, Pertwee RG, Riedel G. Scopolamine and MK801-induced working memory deficits in rats are not reversed by CBD-rich cannabis extracts. Behav Brain Res 2006; 168:307-11. [PMID: 16406104 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2005.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2005] [Revised: 11/15/2005] [Accepted: 11/21/2005] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Smoking marijuana causes working and short-term memory deficits, an effect that is mediated by cannabinoid receptor (CB1) activation in the brain. While this may be due to the main psychoactive constituent Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta9-THC), plant extracts also contain other cannabinoid and terpenoid compounds with unknown properties. Towards this end, we have recently shown that high concentrations of plant extracts rich in cannabidiol (CBD) can reverse working memory deficits induced by Delta9-THC which is a remaining contaminant of this extract [Fadda P, Robinson L, Fratta W, Pertwee RG, Riedel G. Differential effects of THC- and CBD-rich cannabis-extracts on working memory in rats. Neuropahrmacology 2004;47:1170-9]. Since this effect was dose-dependent and indicative of memory enhancing qualities of the CBD-rich extract, this prompted a wider investigation into the effects of CBD on other forms of amnesia in order to determine the mechanism of action and to reveal its potency against anticholinergic and antiglutamatergic agents. We employed a spatial delayed matching to position task in the open-field water maze. Both scopolamine (0.2 mg/kg i.p.) and dizocilpine (MK801: 0.1mg/kg i.p.) impaired working memory at delays of 30 s and 4 h. Two doses of CBD-rich extracts (5 and 10 mg/kg), which did not affect working memory when given alone, were unable to reverse these deficits when co-administered with scopolamine or MK801. These data suggest that reversal of working memory deficits by CBD-rich extracts are specific to the cannabinoid system and do not compensate for acutely induced cholinergic or glutamatergic receptor hypoactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Fadda
- School of Medical Sciences, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
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97
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Whan LB, West MCL, McClure N, Lewis SEM. Effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary psychoactive cannabinoid in marijuana, on human sperm function in vitro. Fertil Steril 2006; 85:653-60. [PMID: 16500334 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2005.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2004] [Revised: 08/10/2005] [Accepted: 08/10/2005] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on human sperm function in vitro. DESIGN Laboratory analysis of sperm motility after exposure to THC using computer-assisted semen analysis and acrosome reaction by fluoroscein isothiocyanate-labeled peanut agglutinin staining. SETTING An assisted reproductive technology unit. PATIENT(S) Seventy-eight male patients. INTERVENTION(S) Sperm were divided into 90% (the best fertilizing potential used in assisted conception) and 45% (the poorer subpopulation) fractions by density centrifugation and incubated with THC at concentrations equivalent to therapeutic (0.032 microM) and recreational (0.32 and 4.8 microM) plasma levels at 37 degrees C for 3 h. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Sperm motility and spontaneous and induced acrosome reactions. RESULT(S) Percentage progressive motility was decreased dose dependently in the 90% fraction (by 2%-21%; P<.05; P<.001). The 45% fraction showed a greater decrease in percentage progressive motility (by 28% at 0.032 microM; 56% at 4.8 microM; P=.004 and P=.01 res). Straight line velocity and the average path velocity also were reduced (by 10%, in the 90% LAYER) in both fractions. Spontaneous acrosome reactions were reduced in the 90% (17% at 0.032 microM, 35% at 4.8 microM P=.004 and P<.001 resp) and more markedly in the 45% fractions (17%-35%; P<.001). When the acrosome reaction was artificially induced (90% fraction) by A23187, THC (4.8 microM) resulted in a 57% inhibition (P<.001). CONCLUSION(S) The use of THC as a recreational drug may adversely affect male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynne B Whan
- Obstetrics & Gynaecology, School of Medicine, Queen's University, Belfast, United Kingdom
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98
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Kathmann M, Flau K, Redmer A, Tränkle C, Schlicker E. Cannabidiol is an allosteric modulator at mu- and delta-opioid receptors. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2006; 372:354-61. [PMID: 16489449 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-006-0033-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 245] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2005] [Accepted: 01/04/2006] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The mechanism of action of cannabidiol, one of the major constituents of cannabis, is not well understood but a noncompetitive interaction with mu opioid receptors has been suggested on the basis of saturation binding experiments. The aim of the present study was to examine whether cannabidiol is an allosteric modulator at this receptor, using kinetic binding studies, which are particularly sensitive for the measurement of allosteric interactions at G protein-coupled receptors. In addition, we studied whether such a mechanism also extends to the delta opioid receptor. For comparison, (-)-Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC; another major constituent of cannabis) and rimonabant (a cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist) were studied. In mu opioid receptor binding studies on rat cerebral cortex membrane homogenates, the agonist 3H-DAMGO bound to a homogeneous class of binding sites with a KD of 0.68+/-0.02 nM and a Bmax of 203+/-7 fmol/mg protein. The dissociation of 3H-DAMGO induced by naloxone 10 microM (half life time of 7+/-1 min) was accelerated by cannabidiol and THC (at 100 microM, each) by a factor of 12 and 2, respectively. The respective pEC50 values for a half-maximum elevation of the dissociation rate constant k(off) were 4.38 and 4.67; 3H-DAMGO dissociation was not affected by rimonabant 10 microM. In delta opioid receptor binding studies on rat cerebral cortex membrane homogenates, the antagonist 3H-naltrindole bound to a homogeneous class of binding sites with a KD of 0.24+/-0.02 nM and a Bmax of 352+/-22 fmol/mg protein. The dissociation of 3H-naltrindole induced by naltrindole 10 microM (half life time of 119+/-3 min) was accelerated by cannabidiol and THC (at 100 microM, each) by a factor of 2, each. The respective pEC50 values were 4.10 and 5.00; 3H-naltrindole dissociation was not affected by rimonabant 10 microM. The present study shows that cannabidiol is an allosteric modulator at mu and delta opioid receptors. This property is shared by THC but not by rimonabant.
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MESH Headings
- Allosteric Regulation
- Analgesics, Opioid/metabolism
- Animals
- Cannabidiol/pharmacology
- Cerebral Cortex/drug effects
- Cerebral Cortex/metabolism
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
- Dronabinol/pharmacology
- Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-/metabolism
- Male
- Naloxone/pharmacology
- Naltrexone/analogs & derivatives
- Naltrexone/metabolism
- Narcotic Antagonists/pharmacology
- Rats
- Rats, Wistar
- Receptors, Opioid, delta/drug effects
- Receptors, Opioid, delta/metabolism
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/drug effects
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Kathmann
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Bonn, Reuterstr. 2b, 53113 Bonn, Germany.
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99
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Di Marzo V. A brief history of cannabinoid and endocannabinoid pharmacology as inspired by the work of British scientists. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2006; 27:134-40. [PMID: 16476494 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2006.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2005] [Revised: 10/19/2005] [Accepted: 01/26/2006] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
British scientists have played a leading role in the long history of cannabinoid and endocannabinoid research. Such research has progressed from the first crucial evaluation of the medicinal properties of Cannabis sativa in the Western world to pioneering studies of the chemical constituents of this plant, the development of in vitro biological assays to study cannabinoids, the identification of the mechanism of action of cannabinoids, the discovery of endocannabinoids and the assessment of their therapeutic implications. Stemming from the many innovative ideas and achievements of these researchers, I provide a personal view of where these studies have led us thus far and where they are likely to take us in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Di Marzo
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Comprensorio Olivetti, Fabbr. 70, 80078 Pozzuoli (NA) Italy.
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100
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Thomas A, Stevenson LA, Wease KN, Price MR, Baillie G, Ross RA, Pertwee RG. Evidence that the plant cannabinoid Delta9-tetrahydrocannabivarin is a cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptor antagonist. Br J Pharmacol 2006; 146:917-26. [PMID: 16205722 PMCID: PMC1751228 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0706414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Delta9-tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) displaced [(3)H]CP55940 from specific binding sites on mouse brain and CHO-hCB(2) cell membranes (K(i)=75.4 and 62.8 nM, respectively).THCV (1 microM) also antagonized CP55940-induced stimulation of [(35)S]GTPgammaS binding to these membranes (apparent K(B)=93.1 and 10.1 nM, respectively). In the mouse vas deferens, the ability of Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to inhibit electrically evoked contractions was antagonized by THCV, its apparent K(B)-value (96.7 nM) approximating the apparent K(B)-values for its antagonism of CP55940- and R-(+)-WIN55212-induced stimulation of [(35)S]GTPgammaS binding to mouse brain membranes. THCV also antagonized R-(+)-WIN55212, anandamide, methanandamide and CP55940 in the vas deferens, but with lower apparent K(B)-values (1.5, 1.2, 4.6 and 10.3 nM, respectively).THCV (100 nM) did not oppose clonidine, capsaicin or (-)-7-hydroxy-cannabidiol-dimethylheptyl-induced inhibition of electrically evoked contractions of the vas deferens. Contractile responses of the vas deferens to phenylephrine hydrochloride or beta,gamma-methylene-ATP were not reduced by 1microM THCV or R-(+)-WIN55212, suggesting that THCV interacts with R-(+)-WIN55212 at prejunctional sites. At 32 microM, THCV did reduce contractile responses to phenylephrine hydrochloride and beta,gamma-methylene-ATP, and above 3 microM it inhibited electrically evoked contractions of the vas deferens in an SR141716A-independent manner. In conclusion, THCV behaves as a competitive CB(1) and CB(2) receptor antagonist. In the vas deferens, it antagonized several cannabinoids more potently than THC and was also more potent against CP55940 and R-(+)-WIN55212 in this tissue than in brain membranes. The bases of these agonist- and tissue-dependent effects remain to be established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adèle Thomas
- School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD
| | - Lesley A Stevenson
- School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD
| | - Kerrie N Wease
- School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD
| | - Martin R Price
- School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD
| | - Gemma Baillie
- School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD
| | - Ruth A Ross
- School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD
| | - Roger G Pertwee
- School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD
- Author for correspondence:
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