Cannabinoids for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: moving towards the clinic
The limited effectiveness of current therapies against Alzheimer’s disease highlights the need for intensifying research efforts devoted to developing new agents for preventing or retarding the disease process. During the last few years, targeting the endogenous cannabinoid system has emerged as a p...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2014-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Pharmacology |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fphar.2014.00037/full |
| _version_ | 1828393554329731072 |
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| author | Isidro eFerrer |
| author_facet | Isidro eFerrer |
| author_sort | Isidro eFerrer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The limited effectiveness of current therapies against Alzheimer’s disease highlights the need for intensifying research efforts devoted to developing new agents for preventing or retarding the disease process. During the last few years, targeting the endogenous cannabinoid system has emerged as a potential therapeutic approach to treat Alzheimer. The endocannabinoid system is composed by a number of cannabinoid receptors, including the well-characterized CB1 and CB2 receptors, with their endogenous ligands and the enzymes related to the synthesis and degradation of these endocannabinoid compounds. Several findings indicate that the activation of both CB1 and CB2 receptors by natural or synthetic agonists, at non-psychoactive doses, have beneficial effects in Alzheimer experimental models by reducing the harmful A peptide action and tau phosphorylation, as well as by promoting the brain’s intrinsic repair mechanisms. Moreover, endocannabinoid signaling has been demonstrated to modulate numerous concomitant pathological processes, including neuroinflammation, excitotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress. The present paper summarizes the main experimental studies demonstrating the polyvalent properties of cannabinoid compounds for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, which together encourage progress towards a clinical trial. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T07:41:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2ffb9c999a6e4ab39f84f4e119fb96ff |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1663-9812 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T07:41:03Z |
| publishDate | 2014-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Pharmacology |
| spelling | doaj.art-2ffb9c999a6e4ab39f84f4e119fb96ff2022-12-22T01:57:19ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pharmacology1663-98122014-03-01510.3389/fphar.2014.0003781375Cannabinoids for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: moving towards the clinicIsidro eFerrer0University of BarcelonaThe limited effectiveness of current therapies against Alzheimer’s disease highlights the need for intensifying research efforts devoted to developing new agents for preventing or retarding the disease process. During the last few years, targeting the endogenous cannabinoid system has emerged as a potential therapeutic approach to treat Alzheimer. The endocannabinoid system is composed by a number of cannabinoid receptors, including the well-characterized CB1 and CB2 receptors, with their endogenous ligands and the enzymes related to the synthesis and degradation of these endocannabinoid compounds. Several findings indicate that the activation of both CB1 and CB2 receptors by natural or synthetic agonists, at non-psychoactive doses, have beneficial effects in Alzheimer experimental models by reducing the harmful A peptide action and tau phosphorylation, as well as by promoting the brain’s intrinsic repair mechanisms. Moreover, endocannabinoid signaling has been demonstrated to modulate numerous concomitant pathological processes, including neuroinflammation, excitotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress. The present paper summarizes the main experimental studies demonstrating the polyvalent properties of cannabinoid compounds for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, which together encourage progress towards a clinical trial.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fphar.2014.00037/fullCannabidiolCannabinoidsOxidative StressAlzheimerβ-AmyloidCB1 receptor |
| spellingShingle | Isidro eFerrer Cannabinoids for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: moving towards the clinic Frontiers in Pharmacology Cannabidiol Cannabinoids Oxidative Stress Alzheimer β-Amyloid CB1 receptor |
| title | Cannabinoids for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: moving towards the clinic |
| title_full | Cannabinoids for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: moving towards the clinic |
| title_fullStr | Cannabinoids for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: moving towards the clinic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cannabinoids for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: moving towards the clinic |
| title_short | Cannabinoids for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: moving towards the clinic |
| title_sort | cannabinoids for treatment of alzheimer s disease moving towards the clinic |
| topic | Cannabidiol Cannabinoids Oxidative Stress Alzheimer β-Amyloid CB1 receptor |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fphar.2014.00037/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT isidroeferrer cannabinoidsfortreatmentofalzheimersdiseasemovingtowardstheclinic |