ABSTRACT
Several areas where the cannabinoids (CB) and other Cannabis components are interrelated to the prostaglandins (PG) are reviewed. These include (1) the actions of cannabinoids as stimulators of eicosanoid synthesis in both in vitro and in vivo systems; (2) The endocannabinoids which represent a novel class of eicosanoids; (3) The cannabinoid acids that act as inhibitors of eicosanoid synthesis and share some of the actions of the primary cannabinoids but antagonize other actions; and (4) The non-cannabinoid constituents of Cannabis such as flavones and the volatile oil fraction as well as pyrolysis products that occur in marijuana smoke. In addition to better characterizing some of the actions of the cannabinoids, these observations on PG-CB relationships provide a possible hypothesis for the mechanisms involved in certain of these actions.
