n-oleoylethanolamine and Acute-Disease

Cannabidiol is a component of marijuana that does not activate cannabinoid receptors, but moderately inhibits the degradation of the endocannabinoid anandamide. We previously reported that an elevation of anandamide levels in cerebrospinal fluid inversely correlated to psychotic symptoms. Furthermore, enhanced anandamide signaling let to a lower transition rate from initial prodromal states into frank psychosis as well as postponed transition. In our translational approach, we performed a double-blind, randomized clinical trial of cannabidiol vs amisulpride, a potent antipsychotic, in acute schizophrenia to evaluate the clinical relevance of our initial findings. Either treatment was safe and led to significant clinical improvement, but cannabidiol displayed a markedly superior side-effect profile. Moreover, cannabidiol treatment was accompanied by a significant increase in serum anandamide levels, which was significantly associated with clinical improvement. The results suggest that inhibition of anandamide deactivation may contribute to the antipsychotic effects of cannabidiol potentially representing a completely new mechanism in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Amides; Amisulpride; Antipsychotic Agents; Arachidonic Acids; Cannabidiol; Double-Blind Method; Drug Therapy, Combination; Endocannabinoids; Ethanolamines; Female; Humans; Male; Oleic Acids; Palmitic Acids; Polyunsaturated Alkamides; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenic Psychology; Signal Transduction; Sulpiride; Young Adult

Enhancing endogenous cannabinoid (eCB) signaling has been considered as a potential strategy for the treatment of stress-related conditions. Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) represents the primary degradation enzyme of the eCB anandamide (AEA), oleoylethanolamide (OEA) and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA). This study describes a potent reversible FAAH inhibitor, SSR411298. The drug acts as a selective inhibitor of FAAH, which potently increases hippocampal levels of AEA, OEA and PEA in mice. Despite elevating eCB levels, SSR411298 did not mimic the interoceptive state or produce the behavioral side-effects (memory deficit and motor impairment) evoked by direct-acting cannabinoids. When SSR411298 was tested in models of anxiety, it only exerted clear anxiolytic-like effects under highly aversive conditions following exposure to a traumatic event, such as in the mouse defense test battery and social defeat procedure. Results from experiments in models of depression showed that SSR411298 produced robust antidepressant-like activity in the rat forced-swimming test and in the mouse chronic mild stress model, restoring notably the development of inadequate coping responses to chronic stress. This preclinical profile positions SSR411298 as a promising drug candidate to treat diseases such as post-traumatic stress disorder, which involves the development of maladaptive behaviors.

Topics: Acute Disease; Amides; Amidohydrolases; Animals; Anti-Anxiety Agents; Anxiety Disorders; Arachidonic Acids; Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists; Carbamates; Chronic Disease; Dioxanes; Endocannabinoids; Enzyme Inhibitors; Ethanolamines; Female; Gene Expression; Male; Mice; Oleic Acids; Palmitic Acids; Polyunsaturated Alkamides; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptors, Cannabinoid; Stress, Psychological

Although chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain is a significant health problem, the molecular mechanisms involved in developing and maintaining chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain are poorly understood. Central sensitization mechanisms maintained by stimuli from peripheral tissues such as muscle have been suggested. Lipid mediators with anti-inflammatory characteristics such as endogenous ligands of peroxisome proliferator activating receptor-α, oleoylethanolamide, and palmitoylethanolamide are suggested to regulate nociceptive transmission from peripheral locations on route towards the central nervous system. This case-control study investigates the levels of anti-inflammatory lipids in microdialysis samples collected during the first 2 h after microdialysis probe insertion and explores the association of these lipids with different pain characteristics in women with chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain (n = 17) and female healthy controls (n = 19). The levels of oleoylethanolamide, palmitoylethanolamide, and stearoylethanolamide were determined. During sampling of dialysate, pain ratings were conducted using a numeric rating scale. Pain thresholds were registered from upper and lower parts of the body. Oleoylethanolamide and stearoylethanolamide levels were significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) in chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain at all time points. Numeric rating scale correlated with levels of stearoylethanolamide in chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain. Higher levels of lipid mediators could reflect an altered tissue reactivity in response to microdialysis probe insertion in chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Aged; Case-Control Studies; Chronic Pain; Endocannabinoids; Ethanolamines; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Muscle, Skeletal; Oleic Acids; Pain Threshold; Stearic Acids; Young Adult