Overview
Endocannabinoids, or endogenous cannabinoids, are molecules naturally made by the body that maintain the body’s internal homeostatic balance through regulating mood, appetite, sleep, pain, memory, and the movement of other molecules like dopamine and serotonin.
A chapter from Neurobiology and Physiology of the Endocannabinoid System (2023) describes endocannabinoids as:
“a class of small signaling lipids consisting of amides, esters, and ethers of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids derived naturally from lipid precursors in plasma membranes of animal organisms (Burstein, 2014) and can be found throughout the human body. Endocannabinoids are part of the endocannabinoid system consisting of endocannabinoids, their metabolic enzymes for biosynthesis and biodegradation, the cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) and type 2 (CB2) receptors, and the endocannabinoid membrane transporter (De Petrocellis & Di Marzo, 2009).”
“The endocannabinoid system operates as a homeostatic regulator in essentially all organ systems of physiological processes such as neurodevelopment and cell fate, synaptic transmission, learning and memory, nociception, stress and emotions, immunomodulation, hormone secretion, food intake and energy balance, digestive tract motility and secretion, bone mass, and reproduction, among others (Almeida et al., 2021; Maccarrone et al., 2015; Mechoulam & Parker, 2013).”
“Aside from the physiological roles, elements of the endocannabinoid system may serve as potential therapeutic targets in various pathological conditions (Aizpurua-Olaizola et al., 2017). Indeed, pharmacological manipulation of the endocannabinoid system has yielded antinociceptive, anticonvulsive, anxiolytic, antiinflammatory, antiemetic, and orexigenic outcomes, alleviating the symptoms or slowing the progression of different diseases (Fraguas-Sánchez & Torres-Suárez, 2018; Reddy et al., 2020).”
In the context of cannabis, the plant’s cannabinoids, or phytocannabinoids, mimic the natural endocannabinoids produced by the body.Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) binds strongly to CB1 and CB2 receptors, while cannabidiol (CBD) does not bind as strongly, which is why THC is associated with psychoactive effects that produce a “high” while CBD is associated with anti-inflammation, pain relief, and anxiety reduction.