130,135,136 In a rodent model of chronic brain inflammation produced by the infusion of lipopolysaccharide into the fourth ventricle of young rats, the cannabinoid agonist WIN-55212-2 reduced the number of LPS-activated

microglia.137 Direct suppression of CNS autoimmune inflammation was seen by activation of CB1 receptors on neurons and CB2 receptors on autoreactive T cells.138 Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease, and is the primary cause of heart disease and stroke in Western countries. Oral treatment with a low dose of THC inhibits atherosclerosis progression Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical in an apolipoprotein E knockout mouse model, through pleiotropic immunomodulatory effects on lymphoid and myeloid cells. Thus, THC may be a valuable target for treating atherosclerosis.139 N-palmitoyl-ethanolamine

is an endogenous endocannabinoid-like compound. Its concentrations Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical are significantly increased in three different inflammatory and neuropathic conditions. The enhanced levels may possibly be related to a protective local anti-inflammatory and analgesic action.140 CBD has been shown to exert Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. High-glucose-induced mitochondrial superoxide generation, NF-kappaB activation, nitrotyrosine formation, iNOS and adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression, monocyte-endothelial adhesion, transendothelial migration of monocytes, and disruption of endothelial barrier function in human coronary Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) were attenuated by CBD pretreatment.141 In experiments with obese vs lean rats, rimonabant was found to be a potent inhibitor of sensory hypersensitivity associated with CFA-induced arthritis in obese rats, in which Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical the inflammatory reaction is more severe than in lean rats. It may thus have therapeutic potential in obesity-associated inflammatory diseases.142 Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder.

The main pathological feature of PD is the aminophylline degeneration of dopamine (DA)-containing neurons of the substantia nigra, which leads to severe DAergic AMPK activity assay denervation of the striatum. The irreversible loss of the DA-mediated control of striatal function leads to the typical motor symptoms observed in PD, ie, bradykinesia, tremor, and rigidity. It has been proposed that cannabinoids may have some beneficial effects in the treatment of PD.129 In animal experiments cannabinoids provide neuroprotection against 6-hydroxydopamine toxicity in vivo and in vitro.131 The majority of PD patients undergoing levodopa therapy develop disabling motor complications (dyskinesias) within 10 years of treatment.