What is the role of the cannabinoid system in invertebrates and can it tell us something about the human system? We discuss in this review the possible presence of the cannabinoid system in invertebrates. Endocannabinoid processes, i.e., enzymatic hydrolysis, as well as cannabinoid receptors and endocannabinoids, have been identified in various species of invertebrates. These signal molecules a...

background: memory impairment is a well-known effect of many benzodiazepine compounds which is mediated through their action on gamma-aminobutyric acid type a (gabaa) receptors. on the other hand, cannabinoids can affect learning and memory process through presynaptic modulation of the release of both excitatory glutamate and inhibitory gaba transmitters in brain regions involved in learning an...

Opiates and exogenous cannabinoids, both potent analgesics used for the treatment of patients with neuropathic pain, bind to and activate class A G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Several lines of evidence have recently suggested that opioid and cannabinoid receptors can functionally interact in the central nervous system (CNS). These interactions may be direct, such as through receptor hete...

Cannabis has been used to treat gastrointestinal (GI) conditions that range from enteric infections and inflammatory conditions to disorders of motility, emesis and abdominal pain. The mechanistic basis of these treatments emerged after the discovery of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol as the major constituent of Cannabis. Further progress was made when the receptors for Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabi...

Cannabinoid receptors couple to both Gs and Gi proteins and can consequently stimulate or inhibit the formation of cAMP. To test whether there is specificity among cannabinoid receptor agonists in activating Gs- or Gi-coupled pathways, the potency and intrinsic activity of various cannabinoid receptor ligands in stimulating or inhibiting cAMP accumulation were quantified. The rank order of pote...

The development of alcohol dependence is the result of a combination of various factors. Psychosocial and psychiatric conditions, together with functional alterations of the brain or genetic traits, contribute to the development of problems related to alcohol use or alcohol dependence. Clinical studies using neuroimaging techniques (PET, fMRI) and preclinical studies using different animal mode...

Cannabinoids reduce tremor associated with motor disorders induced by injuries and neurodegenerative disease. Here we show that this effect is mediated cannabinoid receptors on astrocytes in the ventral horn of spinal cord, where alternating limb movements are initiated. We first demonstrate reduced a mouse model essential after intrathecal injection analog WIN55,212-2. investigate underlying m...

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Chronic treatment with Δ9-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 understood, and the dose-response relationship of THC-induced cannabinoid receptor adaptation is unknown. This study assessed cannabinoid receptor f...

Table 1 lists a number of putative GPCRs identified by NC-IUPHAR [161], for which preliminary evidence an endogenous ligand has been published, or there exists potential link to disease, disorder. These have recently reviewed in detail [121]. The are all Class A, rhodopsin-like GPCRs. A orphan not listed with as-yet unidentified ligands.Table 1: ligands GPR3GPR4GPR6GPR12GPR15GPR17GPR20 GPR22GPR...