The Endocannabinoid System – a Look Back and Ahead

Over the last few decades research on the cannabinoids has gone through several distinct phases:

A. Research on the plant cannabinoids [mostly on tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)]

Thousands of publications have been published on the plant cannabinoids and some of them are already in use as therapeutic drugs. Of particular interest is CBD, which does not cause the typical cannabis psychoactivity, but is an anti-epileptic drug and is being evaluated in other therapeutic areas (schizophrenia and auto-immune diseases for example).

B. Research on the endogenous cannabinoids [mostly on anandamide and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG)]

Anandamide and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) are involved in a very large number of human diseases, mostly as neuroprotective entities.

C. Research on endogenous fatty acid amides with amino acids and ethanol amines.

Endogenous fatty acid amides with amino acids and ethanol amines (anandamide-like compounds) have been shown to be of major importance in a large spectrum of biological functions and diseases. Thus, oleoyl serine is an anti-osteoporotic molecule and arachidonoyl serine is a vasodilator and lowers brain damage.

Numerous pharmaceutical companies are now involved in research in all the above areas.