Pot-Like Compounds in the Brain to Yield New Meds

A group of scientists led by expert Daniele Piomelli, at the University of California in Irvine, announces the development of a new method for boosting the effects of marijuana-like compounds that occur naturally in the brain. Their achievement may lead to the creation of new classes of drugs.

The target molecule is called anandamide, the team reports. In essence, it is a neurotransmitter that is part of the endocannabinoid system in the human brain. This system features molecules that are extremely similar to those found inside marijuana.

In the case of pot, the active compound is called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Interestingly enough, what it does is augment the function of a system that is already at work inside each of us. Anandamide, for instance, is also an endocannabinoid, and its primary application is pain relief.

Also worthy of mention is the fact that this particular molecule plays a role in controlling food intake, controlling anxiety and reducing depression. As such, finding out how to use and improve it in new generations of drugs could lead to the development of natural, effective cures against many diseases.

In the new investigation, the UCI team determined that inhibiting production of the FLAT protein leads to an increase in the potency level anandamide displays. Daniele Piomelli and his team say that FLAT are molecules that transport the endocannabinoid to sites where the compound is metabolized.

Scientists hope that, in the near future, they will be able to create new generations of pain medication. These drugs would feature no side-effects, such as opiates do today. Some of these effects include addiction, damages to the central nervous system and sedation.

“These findings raise hope that the analgesic properties of marijuana can be harnessed for new, safe drugs. Specific drug compounds we are creating that amplify the actions of natural, marijuana-like chemicals are showing great promise,” says the team leader, a UCI professor of pharmacology.

Scientists from the University of Parma, the University of Bologna, and the Italian Institute of Technology, all in Italy, were also a part of the new study. All efforts were oriented on the FLAT proteins, whose name stands for FAAH-like anandamide transporter.

Details of the new investigation appear in a recent online issue of the top scientific journal Nature Neuroscience. The study is one of many to show the positive health effects that compounds extracted from marijuana can have on the human body, PsychCentral reports.