Cannabis is a complex plant, with major compounds such as delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol, which have opposing effects. The discovery of its compounds has led to the further discovery of…
Condition: Endocannabinoid System (ECS)
Care and Feeding of the Endocannabinoid System: A Systematic Review of Potential Clinical Interventions that Upregulate the Endocannabinoid System
Background: The ‘‘classic’’ endocannabinoid (eCB) system includes the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, the eCB ligands anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), and their metabolic enzymes. An emerging literature documents the…
Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency (CECD): Can this Concept Explain Therapeutic Benefits of Cannabis in Migraine, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and other Treatment-Resistant Conditions?
Abstract Objectives: This study examines the concept of clinical endocannabinoid deficiency (CECD), and the prospect that it could underlie the pathophysiology of migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and other functional conditions…
Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency Reconsidered: Current Research Supports the Theory in Migraine, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel, and Other Treatment-Resistant Syndromes
Medicine continues to struggle in its approaches to numerous common subjective pain syndromes that lack objective signs and remain treatment resistant. Foremost among these are migraine, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel…
Dose-Related Differences in the Regional Pattern of Cannabinoid Receptor Adaptation and in Vivo Tolerance Development to Δ9- Tetrahydrocannabinol
Chronic treatment with Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) produces tolerance to cannabinoid-mediated behaviors and region-specific adaptation of brain cannabinoid receptors. However, the relationship between receptor adaptation and tolerance is not well…
Endocannabinoid Binding to the Cannabinoid Receptors: What Is Known and What Remains Unknown
The cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors are Class A G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). While many Class A GPCRs have endogenous ligands that are hydrophilic cations (e.g., the serotonin and dopamine…
Endocannabinoid CB1 receptor-mediated rises in Ca2+ and depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition within the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus
Cannabinoid type 1 receptors (CB1Rs) are functionally active within the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT), which is critically involved in control of rapid eye movement sleep, cortical arousal, and motivated states….
Endocannabinoid Signaling Regulates Sleep Stability
The hypnogenic properties of cannabis have been recognized for centuries, but endogenous cannabinoid (endocannabinoid) regulation of vigilance states is poorly characterized. We report findings from a series of experiments in…
Endocannabinoid signalling and the deteriorating brain
Ageing is characterized by the progressive impairment of physiological functions and increased risk of developing debilitating disorders, including chronic inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases. These disorders have common molecular mechanisms that…
Endocannabinoid System in First Trimester Placenta: Low FAAH and High CB1 Expression Characterize Spontaneous Miscarriage
Anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) were the first endocannabinoids to be characterized, that bind two G protein-coupled receptors, CB1 and CB2. AEA synthesized by multiple pathways, including NAPE-specific phospholipase D…