Department of Physiology, School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
CNS Neurosci Ther. 2011 Dec;17(6):637-44. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-5949.2010.00195.x. Epub 2010 Sep 28.
The cannabinoid (CB) system is widespread in the central nervous system and is crucial for controlling a range of neurophysiological processes such as pain, appetite, and cognition. The endogenous CB molecules, anandamide, and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol, interact with the G-protein coupled CB receptors, CB(1) and CB(2). These receptors are also targets for the phytocannabinoids isolated from the cannabis plant and synthetic CB receptor ligands. The CB system is emerging as a key regulator of neuronal cell fate and is capable of conferring neuroprotection by the direct engagement of prosurvival pathways and the control of neurogenesis. Many neurological conditions feature a neurodegenerative component that is associated with excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation, and certain CB molecules have been demonstrated to inhibit these events to halt the progression of neurodegeneration. Such properties are attractive in the development of new strategies to treat neurodegenerative conditions of diverse etiology, such as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral ischemia. This article will discuss the experimental and clinical evidence supporting a potential role for CB-based therapies in the treatment of certain neurological diseases that feature a neurodegenerative component.
大麻素（CB）系统广泛存在于中枢神经系统中，对于控制一系列神经生理过程（如疼痛、食欲和认知）至关重要。内源性 CB 分子，如花生四烯酸乙醇胺和 2-花生四烯酰甘油，与 G 蛋白偶联的 CB 受体 CB(1)和 CB(2)相互作用。这些受体也是从大麻植物中分离出的植物大麻素和合成 CB 受体配体的靶点。CB 系统正成为神经元细胞命运的关键调节剂，通过直接参与生存途径和控制神经发生，能够提供神经保护。许多神经疾病都具有神经退行性成分，与兴奋性毒性、氧化应激和神经炎症有关，某些 CB 分子已被证明可以抑制这些事件，从而阻止神经退行性变的进展。这些特性在开发新的策略以治疗具有不同病因的神经退行性疾病（如阿尔茨海默病、多发性硬化症和脑缺血）方面具有吸引力。本文将讨论支持基于 CB 的治疗在治疗具有神经退行性成分的某些神经疾病方面具有潜在作用的实验和临床证据。
