Metabolism of classical cannabinoids and the synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018

Abstract

Although the putative pharmacological targets of synthetic cannabinoids (SCBs) abused in "K2" and "Spice" are similar to Δ(9) -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ(9) -THC), it remains unclear why SCB toxicity is similar yet different from marijuana. There are obvious potency and efficacy differences, but also important metabolic differences that help explain the unique adverse reactions associated with SCBs. This brief review discusses the limited research on the metabolism of the SCB JWH-018 and contrasts that with the metabolism of Δ(9) -THC.