Therapeutic Potential of Cannabinoid Receptors Type 1 and 2—Novel Insights for Enhancing the Chance of Clinical Success, 2nd Edition
A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmacology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 1058
Special Issue Editor
Interests: medicinal chemistry; chemical biology; endocannabinoid system; inflammation; neurodegenerative diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is an important lipid signaling system ubiquitous to all vertebrates that is involved in mediating the key processes of central and peripheral diseases, including chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, diabetes, and kidney diseases, all of which cause a significant health and socioeconomic burden. The ECS’s key elements include lipid signaling molecules, termed ‘endocannabinoids’, their respective receptors, biosynthetic and hydrolytic enzymes, and transporters. In particular, cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) and type 2 (CB2R) hold great therapeutic potential. While Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the most prominent plant-derived cannabinoids, numerous other phytocannabinoids and synthetic ligands targeting CB1R and CB2R have been identified and generated within recent decades. Although some of these ligands have been evaluated in humans, their clinical success is still limited. Recent developments, including the generation of CB1R and CB2R’s 3D structures, the identification of allosteric binding pockets, the synthesis of organ-system-selective ligands, and a better understanding of biased signaling and mechanisms of action, could facilitate the design of next-generation drugs, thus unlocking the receptors’ full therapeutic potential. In this Special Issue of Pharmaceuticals, authors are invited to submit original and review articles covering preclinical and clinical findings that enhance the chance of CB1R and CB2R therapies achieving clinical success. The proposed topics include novel ligands; chemical probes; and in vitro and in vivo mechanistic, translational, and biomarker studies. We look forward to your valuable contributions.
Dr. Uwe M. Grether
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- endocannabinoid system (ECS)
- cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R)
- cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2R)
- cannabinoids
- ligand
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