Kirkham T C, Williams C M
Department of Psychology, University of Reading, Whiteknights, PO Box 238, Reading RG6 6AL, UK.
Nutr Res Rev. 2001 Jun;14(1):65-86. doi: 10.1079/NRR200118.
Since pre-history, Cannabis sativa has been exploited for its potent and manifold pharmacological actions. Amongst the most renowned of these actions is a tendency to provoke ravenous eating. The characterization of the psychoactive principals in cannabis (exogenous cannabinoids) and, more recently, the discovery of specific brain cannabinoid receptors and their endogenous ligands (endocannabinoids) has stimulated research into the physiological roles of endocannabinoid systems. In this review, we critically discuss evidence from the literature that describe studies on animals and human subjects to support endocannabinoid involvement in the control of appetite. We describe the hyperphagic actions of the exogenous cannabinoid, Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and the endogenous CB1 ligands, anandamide and 2-arachidonylglycerol, and present evidence to support a specific role of endocannabinoid systems in appetitive processes related to the incentive and reward properties of food. A case is made for more comprehensive and systematic analyses of cannabinoid actions on eating, in the anticipation of improved therapies for disorders of appetite and body weight, and a better understanding of the biopsychological processes underlying hunger.
自史前时代以来，大麻就因其强大且多样的药理作用而被利用。其中最著名的作用之一是引发食欲亢进的倾向。大麻中精神活性成分（外源性大麻素）的特性，以及最近特定脑大麻素受体及其内源性配体（内源性大麻素）的发现，激发了对内源性大麻素系统生理作用的研究。在这篇综述中，我们批判性地讨论了文献中的证据，这些证据描述了对动物和人类受试者的研究，以支持内源性大麻素参与食欲控制。我们描述了外源性大麻素Δ⁹-四氢大麻酚以及内源性CB1配体花生四烯乙醇胺和2-花生四烯酸甘油的致食作用，并提供证据支持内源性大麻素系统在与食物的激励和奖赏特性相关的食欲过程中的特定作用。鉴于有望改善食欲和体重紊乱的治疗方法，并更好地理解饥饿背后的生物心理过程，我们主张对大麻素对饮食的作用进行更全面和系统的分析。
