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Pharmaceuticals
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Cannabinoids as Medicines
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Cannabinoids as Medicines

A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2018)

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Gary J. Stephens

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Whiteknights, PO Box 228, Reading RG6 6AJ, UK
Interests: electrophysiology; voltage-gated calcium channels; cannabinoids; ion channels; GPCRs; pain; ataxia
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The last three decades have seen real advances in the characterization of the body’s endocannabinoid system, with detailed knowledge of cannabinoid receptor subtypes, endocannabinoid metabolic pathways and their cell signaling pathways. In parallel, advocacy, and some sanction, of the use of medicinal marijuana, often based on anecdotal evidence, has become a pertinent topic of societal and scientific debate. At a scientific level, interest has tended to shift away from use of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), due to its psychoactive intoxicant effects, towards alternative plant-derived phytocannabinoids or synthetic cannabinoids and their potential therapeutic applications. Despite some high-profile clinical failures, recent well-controlled clinical trials have begun to advance non-THC cannabinoids towards human therapeutic use. Authors are invited to submit original and review articles of basic science, preclinical and clinical findings contributing to the understanding of the current state of play and future potential for cannabinoids as medicines to be published in this Special Issue of Pharmaceuticals.

Prof. Dr. Gary J. Stephens
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceuticals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • endocannabinoids
  • phytocannabinoids
  • cannabinoid therapy

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Related Special Issues

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 1319 KiB  
Article
The Cannabinoid-Like Compound, VSN16R, Acts on Large Conductance, Ca2+-Activated K+ Channels to Modulate Hippocampal CA1 Pyramidal Neuron Firing
by Setareh Tabatabaee, David Baker, David L. Selwood, Benjamin J. Whalley and Gary J. Stephens
Pharmaceuticals 2019, 12(3), 104; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph12030104 - 4 Jul 2019
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4036
Abstract
Large conductance, Ca2+-activated K+ (BKCa) channels are widely expressed in the central nervous system, where they regulate action potential duration, firing frequency and consequential neurotransmitter release. Moreover, drug action on, mutations to, or changes in expression levels of [...] Read more.
Large conductance, Ca2+-activated K+ (BKCa) channels are widely expressed in the central nervous system, where they regulate action potential duration, firing frequency and consequential neurotransmitter release. Moreover, drug action on, mutations to, or changes in expression levels of BKCa can modulate neuronal hyperexcitability. Amongst other potential mechanisms of action, cannabinoid compounds have recently been reported to activate BKCa channels. Here, we examined the effects of the cannabinoid-like compound (R,Z)-3-(6-(dimethylamino)-6-oxohex-1-en-1-yl)-N-(1-hydroxypropan-2-yl) benzamide (VSN16R) at CA1 pyramidal neurons in hippocampal ex vivo brain slices using current clamp electrophysiology. We also investigated effects of the BKCa channel blockers iberiotoxin (IBTX) and the novel 7-pra-martentoxin (7-Pra-MarTx) on VSN16R action. VSN16R (100 μM) increased first and second fast after-hyperpolarization (fAHP) amplitude, decreased first and second inter spike interval (ISI) and shortened first action potential (AP) width under high frequency stimulation protocols in mouse hippocampal pyramidal neurons. IBTX (100 nM) decreased first fAHP amplitude, increased second ISI and broadened first and second AP width under high frequency stimulation protocols; IBTX also broadened first and second AP width under low frequency stimulation protocols. IBTX blocked effects of VSN16R on fAHP amplitude and ISI. 7-Pra-MarTx (100 nM) had no significant effects on fAHP amplitude and ISI but, unlike IBTX, shortened first and second AP width under high frequency stimulation protocols; 7-Pra-MarTx also shortened second AP width under low frequency stimulation protocols. However, in the presence of 7-Pra-MarTx, VSN16R retained some effects on AP waveform under high frequency stimulation protocols; moreover, VSN16R effects were revealed under low frequency stimulation protocols. These findings demonstrate that VSN16R has effects in native hippocampal neurons consistent with its causing an increase in initial firing frequency via activation of IBTX-sensitive BKCa channels. The differential pharmacological effects described suggest that VSN16R may differentially target BKCa channel subtypes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cannabinoids as Medicines)
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8 pages, 2453 KiB  
Article
Controlled-Deactivation CB1 Receptor Ligands as a Novel Strategy to Lower Intraocular Pressure
by Sally Miller, Shashank Kulkarni, Alex Ciesielski, Spyros P. Nikas, Ken Mackie, Alexandros Makriyannis and Alex Straiker
Pharmaceuticals 2018, 11(2), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph11020050 - 22 May 2018
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5647
Abstract
Nearly half a century has passed since the demonstration that cannabis and its chief psychoactive component Δ9-THC lowers intraocular pressure (IOP). Elevated IOP remains the chief hallmark and therapeutic target for glaucoma, a condition that places millions at risk of blindness. [...] Read more.
Nearly half a century has passed since the demonstration that cannabis and its chief psychoactive component Δ9-THC lowers intraocular pressure (IOP). Elevated IOP remains the chief hallmark and therapeutic target for glaucoma, a condition that places millions at risk of blindness. It is likely that Δ9-THC exerts much of its IOP-lowering effects via the activation of CB1 cannabinoid receptors. However, the initial promise of CB1 as a target for treating glaucoma has not thus far translated into a credible therapeutic strategy. We have recently shown that blocking monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), an enzyme that breaks the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG), substantially lowers IOP. Another strategy is to develop cannabinoid CB1 receptor agonists that are optimized for topical application to the eye. Recently we have reported on a controlled-deactivation approach where the “soft” drug concept of enzymatic deactivation was combined with a “depot effect” that is commonly observed with Δ9-THC and other lipophilic cannabinoids. This approach allowed us to develop novel cannabinoids with a predictable duration of action and is particularly attractive for the design of CB1 activators for ophthalmic use with limited or no psychoactive effects. We have tested a novel class of compounds using a combination of electrophysiology in autaptic hippocampal neurons, a well-characterized model of endogenous cannabinoid signaling, and measurements of IOP in a mouse model. We now report that AM7410 is a reasonably potent and efficacious agonist at CB1 in neurons and that it substantially (30%) lowers IOP for as long as 5 h after a single topical treatment. This effect is absent in CB1 knockout mice. Our results indicate that the direct targeting of CB1 receptors with controlled-deactivation ligands is a viable approach to lower IOP in a murine model and merits further study in other model systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cannabinoids as Medicines)
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Review

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48 pages, 2079 KiB  
Review
Endocannabinoids in Body Weight Control
by Henrike Horn, Beatrice Böhme, Laura Dietrich and Marco Koch
Pharmaceuticals 2018, 11(2), 55; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph11020055 - 30 May 2018
Cited by 42 | Viewed by 9751
Abstract
Maintenance of body weight is fundamental to maintain one’s health and to promote longevity. Nevertheless, it appears that the global obesity epidemic is still constantly increasing. Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are lipid messengers that are involved in overall body weight control by interfering with manifold [...] Read more.
Maintenance of body weight is fundamental to maintain one’s health and to promote longevity. Nevertheless, it appears that the global obesity epidemic is still constantly increasing. Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are lipid messengers that are involved in overall body weight control by interfering with manifold central and peripheral regulatory circuits that orchestrate energy homeostasis. Initially, blocking of eCB signaling by first generation cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1) inverse agonists such as rimonabant revealed body weight-reducing effects in laboratory animals and men. Unfortunately, rimonabant also induced severe psychiatric side effects. At this point, it became clear that future cannabinoid research has to decipher more precisely the underlying central and peripheral mechanisms behind eCB-driven control of feeding behavior and whole body energy metabolism. Here, we will summarize the most recent advances in understanding how central eCBs interfere with circuits in the brain that control food intake and energy expenditure. Next, we will focus on how peripheral eCBs affect food digestion, nutrient transformation and energy expenditure by interfering with signaling cascades in the gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, fat depots and endocrine glands. To finally outline the safe future potential of cannabinoids as medicines, our overall goal is to address the molecular, cellular and pharmacological logic behind central and peripheral eCB-mediated body weight control, and to figure out how these precise mechanistic insights are currently transferred into the development of next generation cannabinoid medicines displaying clearly improved safety profiles, such as significantly reduced side effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cannabinoids as Medicines)
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19 pages, 3562 KiB  
Review
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the In Vivo Haemodynamic Effects of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol
by Salahaden R. Sultan, Sophie A. Millar, Saoirse E. O’Sullivan and Timothy J. England
Pharmaceuticals 2018, 11(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph11010013 - 31 Jan 2018
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 6555
Abstract
∆9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has complex effects on the cardiovascular system. We aimed to systematically review studies of THC and haemodynamic alterations. PubMed, Medline, and EMBASE were searched for relevant studies. Changes in blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and blood flow (BF) [...] Read more.
∆9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has complex effects on the cardiovascular system. We aimed to systematically review studies of THC and haemodynamic alterations. PubMed, Medline, and EMBASE were searched for relevant studies. Changes in blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and blood flow (BF) were analysed using the Cochrane Review Manager Software. Thirty-one studies met the eligibility criteria. Fourteen publications assessed BP (number, n = 541), 22 HR (n = 567), and 3 BF (n = 45). Acute THC dosing reduced BP and HR in anaesthetised animals (BP, mean difference (MD) −19.7 mmHg, p < 0.00001; HR, MD −53.49 bpm, p < 0.00001), conscious animals (BP, MD −12.3 mmHg, p = 0.0007; HR, MD −30.05 bpm, p < 0.00001), and animal models of stress or hypertension (BP, MD −61.37 mmHg, p = 0.03) and increased cerebral BF in murine stroke models (MD 32.35%, p < 0.00001). Chronic dosing increased BF in large arteries in anaesthetised animals (MD 21.95 mL/min, p = 0.05) and reduced BP in models of stress or hypertension (MD −22.09 mmHg, p < 0.00001). In humans, acute administration increased HR (MD 8.16 bpm, p < 0.00001). THC acts differently according to species and experimental conditions, causing bradycardia, hypotension and increased BF in animals; and causing increased HR in humans. Data is limited, and further studies assessing THC-induced haemodynamic changes in humans should be considered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cannabinoids as Medicines)
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