Duncan M, Davison J S, Sharkey K A
Institute for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2005 Oct 15;22(8):667-83. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2005.02648.x.
The therapeutic actions of cannabinoids have been known for centuries. In the last 25 years this area of research has grown exponentially with the discovery of specific cannabinoid receptors and endogenous ligands. In the enteric nervous system of gastrointestinal tract, cannabinoid receptors are located on enteric nerve terminals where they exert inhibitory actions on neurotransmission to reduce motility and secretion. Endogenous cannabinoids are present in the enteric nervous system, as are the degradative enzymes necessary to inhibit their action. The cellular mechanism of action of endocannabinoids has not been established in the enteric nervous system. Endocannabinoids not only act at cannabinoid receptors, but potentially also at vanilloid and 5-HT3 receptors, both of which are expressed in the gastrointestinal tract. The interactions between endocannabinoids and these other important receptor systems have not been extensively investigated. A greater understanding of the endocannabinoid system in the enteric nervous system could lead to advances with important therapeutic potential in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, secretory diarrhoea and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.
大麻素的治疗作用已为人所知达数百年之久。在过去25年里，随着特定大麻素受体和内源性配体的发现，该研究领域呈指数级增长。在胃肠道的肠神经系统中，大麻素受体位于肠神经末梢，在那里它们对神经传递发挥抑制作用，以减少蠕动和分泌。内源性大麻素存在于肠神经系统中，抑制其作用所需的降解酶也存在。内源性大麻素在肠神经系统中的细胞作用机制尚未确立。内源性大麻素不仅作用于大麻素受体，还可能作用于香草酸受体和5-HT3受体，这两种受体均在胃肠道中表达。内源性大麻素与这些其他重要受体系统之间的相互作用尚未得到广泛研究。对肠神经系统中内源性大麻素系统的更深入了解可能会在治疗胃肠道疾病（如肠易激综合征、炎症性肠病、分泌性腹泻和胃食管反流病）方面取得具有重要治疗潜力的进展。
