ABSTRACT
As per data published in Nature, Artemisia absinthum (Absinthe) has been speculated to activate the CB1 cannabinoid receptor (Nature 253:365-356; 1975). Thujone (the active constituent in Absinthe oil) product displaced [3H]CP55940, a cannabinoid agonist, only at concentrations above 10 microM. Three isoflavanones from Desmodium canum Schinz & Thell. (Fabaceae)with cannabinoid-like moieties have been isolated. Alkamides have structural similarity with anandamide. Alkamides exhibited selective affinity especially to CB2 receptors and can therefore be considered as CB ligands (Woelkart et al. 2005). Alkamides have structural similarity with anandamide. Dodeca-2E,4E,8Z,10Z-tetraenoic acid isobutylamide and dodeca-2E,4E-dienoic acid isobutylamide bind to the CB2 receptor more strongly than the endogenous cannabinoids. The bioactivity of isolated compounds including three alkamides and nitidanin diisovalerianate from E. purpurea were studied in [35S]GTPγS-binding experiments performed on rat brain membrane preparations. Both partial and inverse agonist compounds for cannabinoid (CB1) receptors were identified among the metabolites, characterized by weak to moderate interactions with the G-protein signaling mechanisms.
