Cannabinoid Receptors

Cannabinoid receptors are activated by cannabinoids, generated naturally inside the body (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocannabinoids#Endogenous_Cannabinoids" title="Endocannabinoids" class="mw-redirect" >endocannabinoids</a>) or introduced into the body as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_(drug)" title="Cannabis (drug)" >cannabis</a> or a related <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_synthesis" title="Chemical synthesis" >synthetic</a> compound.

Separation between the therapeutically undesirable psychotropic effects, and the clinically desirable ones, however, has not been reported with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agonists" title="Agonists" class="mw-redirect" >agonists</a> that bind to cannabinoid receptors. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/THC" title="THC" class="mw-redirect" >THC</a>, as well as the two major <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endogenous" title="Endogenous" class="mw-redirect" >endogenous</a> compounds identified so far that bind to the cannabinoid receptors —<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anandamide" title="Anandamide" >anandamide</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2-arachidonylglycerol" title="2-arachidonylglycerol" class="mw-redirect" >2-arachidonylglycerol</a> (2-AG)— produce most of their effects by binding to both the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors. While the effects mediated by CB1, mostly in the central nervous system, have been thoroughly investigated, those mediated by CB2 are not equally well defined.

Inhibition of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastrointestinal_tract" title="Gastrointestinal tract" class="mw-redirect" >gastrointestinal</a> activity has been observed after administration of Δ9-THC, or of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anandamide" title="Anandamide" >anandamide</a>. This effect has been assumed to be CB1-mediated since the specific CB1antagonist SR 141716A (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rimonabant" title="Rimonabant" >Rimonabant</a>) blocks the effect. Another report, however, suggests that inhibition of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intestine" title="Intestine" >intestinal</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motility" title="Motility" >motility</a> may also have a CB2-mediated component.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabinoid_receptor#cite_note-pmid15249429-22" >[23]</a>

Cannabinoids are well known for their <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circulatory_system" title="Circulatory system" >cardiovascular</a> activity.

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_sativa" title="Cannabis sativa" >Cannabis sativa</a> preparations have been known as therapeutic agents against various <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disease" title="Disease" >diseases</a> for millennia.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabinoid_receptor#cite_note-pmid16968947-32" >[33]</a> The native active constituent, Δ9-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrahydrocannabinol" title="Tetrahydrocannabinol" >tetrahydrocannabinol</a> (Δ9-THC) was found to be the principal mediator of the effects of cannabis.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabinoid_receptor#cite_note-isolation-33" >[34]</a> Synthetic Δ9-THC is prescribed today under the generic name <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dronabinol" title="Dronabinol" class="mw-redirect" >Dronabinol</a>, to treat <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vomiting" title="Vomiting" >vomiting</a> and for enhancement of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appetite" title="Appetite" >appetite</a>, mainly in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIDS" title="AIDS" class="mw-redirect" >AIDS</a> patients.

Cannabinoid Receptors

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