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206 E.B. Blancaflor, K.D. Chapman<br />

Fig.14.1. Structures of selected cannabinoids. a ∆ 9 -Tetrahydrocannabinol, the major active<br />

ingredient in marijuana, is a strong ligand for cannabinoid 1 receptors in mammalian<br />

brains. b Anandamide is an N-acylethanolamine (NAE) with a 20-carbon acyl chain and<br />

four double bonds. It has a wide range of neuromodulatory and physiological functions<br />

in vertebrates, and is drawn in two different conformations. c NAE types identified and<br />

quantified in plants<br />

CB receptors is somewhat surprising given the lack of obvious structural<br />

similarity with THC, but nearly all physiological effects elicited by marijuana<br />

have been attributed to anandamide and the metabolism of NAEs<br />

is now considered an integral part of the “endocannabinoid signaling system”.<br />

The activity of anandamide at the CB1 receptor has been attributed<br />

by some (Reggio 2003) to its ability to adopt alternative conformations<br />

(Fig. 14.1b).<br />

Although anandamide is the most studied NAE type in vertebrates,<br />

otherendogenousNAEssuchasN-oleoylethanolamine (NAE18:1) and<br />

N-palmitoylethanolamine (NAE16:0; Fig. 14.1c) elicit a number of biolog-

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