Trends in Pharmacological Sciences
ReviewPharmacological and biochemical interactions between opioids and cannabinoids
Section snippets
Common pharmacological properties of opioids and cannabinoids
Hypothermia, sedation, hypotension, inhibition of intestinal motility and motor depression are just some of the effects elicited by both opioids and cannabinoids1, 2. However, the most important interactions were found in antinociception1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and, to a lesser extent, in drug reinforcement6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
Biochemical mechanisms involved in opioid–cannabinoid interactions
Despite data that support an interaction between the opioid and the cannabinoid systems in antinociception and drug addiction, as well as in other less-studied pharmacological effects such as hypothermia2, the nature of such interactions remains unclear. Several authors have suggested that both drugs share common links in their molecular mechanisms of action, although this has been a matter of controversy. In this respect, it is important to consider that the nature of cannabinoid–opioid
Concluding remarks
According to the results discussed in this review, it appears that opioids and cannabinoids share a number of pharmacological actions that could be relevant in understanding the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids, particularly as analgesics. There is also an interconnected role for cannabinoid and opioid receptors in brain regions mediating addictive behaviours that might be of clinical interest. Although some hypotheses have been presented and discussed here on the basis that they are not
Chemical names
CP55940: (−)-cis-3-[2-hydroxy-4-(1,1-dimethylheptyl)phenyl]-trans-4-(3-hydroxy-propyl)cyclohexanol
SR141716A: N-piperidino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)4-methyl-3-pyrazolecarboxamide
SR144528: N-([1s]-endo-1,3,3-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-yl)-5-(4-chloro-3-methylphenyl)-1-(4-methylbenzyl)-pyrazole-3-carboxamide
WIN552122: r(+)-[2,3-dihydro-5-methyl-3-[(morpholinyl)methyl]pyrrolo[1,2,3-de]-1,4-benzoxazin-yl]-(1-naphtalenyl)methanone
Acknowledgements
The authors are indebted to all the researchers (M. Ruiz-Gayo, I. Reche, G. Vela and E. Ambrosio) who directly collaborated in the studies presented here, and to Dr J. M. Walker (Brown University) for critically reading the manuscript. J. Corchero is a predoctoral fellow and J. Romero a postdoctoral fellow, both supported by the Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid. J. Manzanares is a Senior Research Fellow supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education.
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