Abstract The CB1 cannabinoid receptor is a G-protein coupled receptor highly expressed throughout the central nervous system that is a promising target for the treatment of various disorders, including anxiety, pain, and neurodegeneration. Despite the wide therapeutic potential of CB1, the development of drug candidates is hindered by adverse effects, rapid tolerance development, and abuse potential. Ligands that produce biased signaling—the preferential activation of a signaling transducer in detriment of another—have been proposed as a strategy to dissociate therapeutic and adverse effects for a variety of G-protein coupled receptors. However, biased signaling at the CB1 receptor is poorly understood due to a lack of...

Abstract Limited evidence has suggested that terpenes found in Cannabis sativa are analgesic, and could produce an “entourage effect” whereby they modulate cannabinoids to result in improved outcomes. However this hypothesis is controversial, with limited evidence. We thus investigated Cannabis sativa terpenes alone and with the cannabinoid agonist WIN55,212 using in vitro and in vivo approaches. We found that the terpenes α-humulene, geraniol, linalool, and β-pinene produced cannabinoid tetrad behaviors in mice, suggesting cannabimimetic activity. Some behaviors could be blocked by cannabinoid or adenosine receptor antagonists, suggesting a mixed mechanism of action. These behavioral effects were selectively additive with WIN55,212, suggesting terpenes can boost...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Cannabinoids reduce tremor associated with motor disorders induced by injuries and neurodegenerative disease. Here we show that this effect is mediated by cannabinoid receptors on astrocytes in the ventral horn of the spinal cord, where alternating limb movements are initiated. We first demonstrate that tremor is reduced in a mouse model of essential tremor after intrathecal injection of the cannabinoid analog WIN55,212-2. We investigate the underlying mechanism using electrophysiological recordings in spinal cord slices and show that endocannabinoids released from depolarized interneurons activate astrocytic cannabinoid receptors, causing an increase in intracellular Ca2+, subsequent release of...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Recent years have yielded significant advances in our understanding of microglia, the immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Microglia are key players in CNS development, immune surveillance, and the maintenance of proper neuronal function throughout life. In the healthy brain, homeostatic microglia have a unique molecular signature. In neurological diseases, microglia become activated and adopt distinct transcriptomic signatures, including disease-associated microglia (DAM) implicated in neurodegenerative disorders. Homeostatic microglia synthesise the endogenous cannabinoids 2-arachidonoylglycerol and anandamide and express the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 at constitutively low levels. Upon activation, microglia significantly increase their synthesis of endocannabinoids and upregulate their expression of CB2 receptors, which promote...

Abstract Societal attitudes toward cannabis, both as a drug of abuse and as a potential therapeutic, have undergone a marked shift in the past 25 years, resulting in wide-scale changes in legalization, public policy, and marketing of cannabis and its constituents (cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol). Cannabis has abuse liability, producing positive subjective effects, and repeated use over time can result in a use disorder, which can include withdrawal symptoms (sleep disruption, irritability, anxiety, anorexia, craving), unsuccessful attempts to cut down or quit, and failure to fulfill obligations. The consequences of having a cannabis use disorder are rarely as destructive to individual lives as other...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Investigating the acute effects of cannabinoids consumption on circulating levels of endocannabinoids. Introduction Cannabis remains the most commonly used drug of abuse worldwide and the legalization in several states caused a drastic change in the variety of products available on the market. Over the past few years, several studies reported that the average concentration of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) drastically increased as well as the availability of products containing different combinations of THC and other cannabinoids, mainly cannabidiol (CBD). However, little is known about the acute effects of THC and/or CBD on the lipidome and more specifically the endocannabinoid system. The aim of the present study...

Please use this link to access this publication Abstract Cannabinoid use has increased among aging individuals. However, little information on age-related differences in the behavioral effects of these agents is available. To explore potential differences in the behavioral effects of cannabinoids, we determined effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, 1–10 mg/kg) or rimonabant (0.3–3.2 mg/kg) on operant fixed-ratio responding (FR10) for food in young adult (6 months) and aged (29 months) rats. THC dose-dependently decreased responding for food. Rimonabant alone had little or no effect on responding up to 1.0 mg/kg, but disrupted responding following a 3.2 mg/kg dose. Rimonabant (1.0 mg/kg) partially antagonized response disruption by THC. These effects were similar in young...

Abstract Cannabis sativa L. is increasingly emerging for its protective role in modulating neuroinflammation, a complex process orchestrated among others by microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system. Phytocannabinoids, especially cannabidiol (CBD), terpenes, and other constituents trigger several upstream and downstream microglial intracellular pathways. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of a CBD- and terpenes-enriched C. sativa extract (CSE) in an in vitro model of neuroinflammation. We evaluated the effect of CSE on the inflammatory response induced by exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in BV-2 microglial cells, compared with CBD and β-caryophyllene (CAR), CB2 receptors (CB2r) inverse and full agonist, respectively. The LPS-induced upregulation of the...

Abstract Characterised by chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain, generalised hyperalgesia, and psychological distress, fibromyalgia (FM) is a significant unmet clinical need. The endogenous cannabinoid system plays an important role in modulating both pain and the stress response. Here, we appraise the evidence, from preclinical and clinical studies, for a role of the endocannabinoid system in FM and the therapeutic potential of targeting the endocannabinoid system. While many animal models have been used to study FM, the reserpine-induced myalgia model has emerged as perhaps the most translatable to the clinical phenotype. Inhibition of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) has shown promise in preclinical studies, ameliorating pain- and anxiety-related behaviour . Clinically, there is evidence for alterations in...

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Since the relatively recent discovery of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and its fundamental role in regulating other systems, the subject has aroused interest in all areas of health, including Dentistry. Among the possible uses and benefits of cannabinoids are their performance in pain and its predisposing or perpetuating factors, such as bruxism and sleep disorders. Although the literature is still scarce, the mechanisms of action and satisfactory results of cannabinoids and other cannabis derivatives in these situations already allow their safe prescription. The objective of this study was to verify the current evidence on the use of cannabis derivatives in...