Cannabinoid

A cannabinoid is any member of a heterogeneous class of compounds that interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), principally through the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2. The term encompasses three subgroups: phytocannabinoids produced by Cannabis sativa L. and a handful of other plants; endocannabinoids produced endogenously by animals; and synthetic cannabinoids manufactured in a laboratory. Over 150 phytocannabinoids have been characterized (Hanuš et al., 2016, Natural Product Reports 33:1357). Chemically, classical phytocannabinoids share a resorcinyl core with a terpenoid moiety, but the pharmacological definition is broader and includes structurally unrelated ligands such as the aminoalkylindoles. CB1 and CB2 couple to Gi/o proteins and modulate adenylyl cyclase, ion channels, and MAP kinase cascades (Howlett et al., 2002, Pharmacological Reviews 54:161). → See also: Endocannabinoid system, Phytocannabinoid, Synthetic cannabinoid.