Cannabinoids / Edition 1

by Vincenzo Di Marzo

Overview

The 21^st century will witness the unprecedented marketing of therapeutic drugs developed from cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system. Cannabinoids is a timely volume, which represents a comprehensive review of the most important issues in cannabinoid research as well as those of most likely therapeutic relevance. For the first time, the multi-faceted aspects of cannabinoid chemistry, biology and medicine are presented in one volume.

Key topics of discussion:

-major families of phyannabinoids;

-pharmacological activity of phyannabinoids;

-interactions of phyannabinoids with their proposed molecular target;

-components of the endocannabinoid system;

-molecular mechanisms of the endocannabinoid system;

-Physiological and pathological role of endocannabinoids;

-industrial applications of studies on the cannabinoids;

-therapeutic uses of agonists and antagonists of cannabinoids receptors.

This book is a must for graduate and pre- and post-doctoral students in disciplines ranging from organic and natural product chemistry, pharmacology, biochemistry and medicine.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780306482281
Publisher:	Springer US
Publication date:	06/29/2004
Series:	Neuroscience Intelligence Unit
Edition description:	2004
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.02(d)

About the Author

Vicenzo Di Marzo
Endocannabinoid Research Group, Pozzuoli, Italy

Table of Contents

	Preface	x
1.	The Chemical Constituents of Cannabis sativa and the Endocannabinoid System	1
2.	Pharmacology and Medicinal Chemistry of THC	8
	Pharmacology of THC	9
	Medicinal Chemistry	16
3.	The Pharmacology and Therapeutic Potential of Cannabidiol	32
	Receptor Interactions of Cannabidiol	35
	Effects of CBD on Central and Peripheral Neurotransmission	42
	Fate of Anandamide and Palmitoylethanolamide	43
	Anxiolytic and Antipsychotic Effects	44
	Anticonvulsant Effects of CBD	46
	Neuroprotective Effect of CBD	53
	Effects of CBD on the Production of Mediators of Inflammation and Immune Responses	54
	Effects of CBD on Cancer Cell Proliferation	59
	Effects of CBD on Cytochrome P450 (CYP) Isozymes	60
	Effects of CBD on Membrane Fluidity and Stability	61
	Other Effects of CBD	62
	Interactions between CBD and [Delta superscript 9]-THC	64
	Structure-Activity Relationships	65
4.	Cannabinoid Receptors and Signal Transduction	84
	CB[subscript 1] Receptor and Signal Transduction Pathways	84
	CB[subscript 2] Receptor and Signal Transduction Pathways	87
	Endothelial Anandamide Receptor: Pharmacology and Signal Transduction Pathways	88
	Mechanism of Receptor-Mediated G Protein Coupling	88
5.	Endocannabinoids	98
	Discovery of the Endocannabinoids	99
	Quantitative Analysis of Endocannabinoids in Mammals	100
	Biosynthesis, Action and Inactivation of Endocannabinoids	101
	Possible Physiological and Pathological Functions of Endocannabinoids in the CNS--An Overview	113
	Endocannabinoids: Relax, Eat, Rest, Forget and Protect	118
6.	Chemistry and Structure Activity Relationships for Tetrahydrocannabinols and Endocannabinoids	131
	Endocannabinoids	138
	Pyrazole Based Antagonists	141
7.	Cannabinoids and Medicine: Eating Disorders, Nausea and Emesis	147
	Endocannabinoids and the Physiological Regulation of Appetite and Body Weight	147
	Disorders of Appetite and Body Weight	150
	Obesity	150
	Cachexia, Anorexia and Malnutrition in Disease	152
	Nausea and Emesis	155
8.	Cannabinoids and Medicine II: The Role of Cannabinoids in Multiple Sclerosis and Neuronal Damage	161
	Multiple Sclerosis	162
	Head Injury and Stroke	167
	Glaucoma	169
	Parkinson's Disease	170
	Huntington's Disease	171
	Motor Neuron Diseases	172
	Alzheimer's Disease	173
9.	Endocannabinoids and Related Fatty Acid Derivatives in Pain Modulation: Behavioral, Neurophysiological and Neuroanatomical perspectives on Cannabinoid Antinociception	181
	Functional Significance of a Cannabinoid Transmitter System	181
	Subtypes of Cannabinoid Receptors	182
	Endocannabinoids	182
	Cannabinoid Receptor Pharmacology	183
	Antinociceptive Effects of Cannabinoids	183
	Cannabinoid-Induced Suppression of Nociceptive Transmission	183
	Spinal and Peripheral Cannabinoid Antinociceptive Mechanisms	184
	Evidence for Endocannabinoid Modulation of Nociception at the Supraspinal Level	187
	Role of Other Endocannabinoids and Related Fatty Acid Derivatives	189
	Localization of Cannabinoid Receptors and mRNA	190
	Cannabinoid Receptor Distribution on Central Terminals of Primary Afferents	193
10.	Endocannabinoids and Alcohol Drinking Behavior	205
	Endocannabinoids and Brain Reward Mechanisms	205
	Endocannabinoids As Regulators of Alcohol Preference	206
	Age-Dependence of Alcohol Preference and Endocannabinoid Signaling in Mice	207
	Endocannabinoids and Alcohol-Withdrawal	209
	A New Hypothesis	209
	Index	213

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Stata Norton, PhD (University of Kansas Medical Center)
Description: In the last few decades there has been extensive research on the actions of cannabinoids from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa, on various biological systems. This book summarizes the research that has been carried out in three directions: structure-activity relationships of cannabinoids with their receptors; the endocannabinoid system, that is the cannabinoid receptors and their regulation; and possible therapeutic uses of agonists and antagonists of cannabinoid receptors.
Purpose: Although the pharmacology and toxicology of cannabis have been studied for a long time, the availability of pure tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the 1960s was the beginning of major scientific research. This book intends to bring together recent research on various facets of cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system in mammals and lower vertebrates. The book is a good and useful review of the status of cannabinoid research and the directions in which the research is going.
Audience: Because the stated aim of the book is to serve as a valuable tool to students and scholars interested in the pharmacological and medical aspects of cannabinoids and the potential for various therapeutic uses as a result of the research, these individuals are the main audience for the book. In addition, the section on potential therapeutic uses may be of interest to a wide audience. Those doing research on cannabinoids will find the chapters on the chemistry of cannabinoids and the relation to endocannabinoids of special interest. The contributors are research investigators from Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States. The editor is Vincenzo di Marzo of the National Research Council, Pozzuoli, Italy.
Features: Since the structure of THC was determined in the 1960s, about 66 related terpenophenols have been isolated by various investigators. The identification of cannabinoid receptors and endogenous ligands for these receptors has resulted in greatly increased understanding of THC pharmacology. These aspects of cannabinoids are well reviewed in this book, including structure-activity relationships. Current research on possible therapeutic uses of cannabinoids is covered in the second half of the book. The main uses covered in depth are: effects on eating disorders; on neuronal damage; on pain modulation; and on alcohol use. Various aspects of each of these topics is covered. For example, the review of actions on neuronal damage covers topics as different as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease and the relation to glutamate and excitotoxic neuronal death. Each chapter is well referenced.
Assessment: Scientists interested in various aspects of current research on cannabinoid receptors and chemical components found in Cannabis sativa and the endocannabinoid system in animals will find this book a good review. Experimental studies on the relationship of cannabinoids to immune responses, neuronal damage and antinociception are well covered. Another recent book focused more on practical aspects of possible therapeutic uses is The Medicinal Uses of Cannabis and Cannabinoids, edited by Guy et al. (Pharmaceutical Press, 2004).

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3 Stars from Doody