Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2021 Jan 14;22(2):778.
doi: 10.3390/ijms22020778.

Cannabis sativa L. as a Natural Drug Meeting the Criteria of a Multitarget Approach to Treatment

Anna Stasiłowicz  1 , Anna Tomala  2 , Irma Podolak  2 , Judyta Cielecka-Piontek  1
Affiliations
Review

Cannabis sativa L. as a Natural Drug Meeting the Criteria of a Multitarget Approach to Treatment

Anna Stasiłowicz et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

Cannabis sativa L. turned out to be a valuable source of chemical compounds of various structures, showing pharmacological activity. The most important groups of compounds include phytocannabinoids and terpenes. The pharmacological activity of Cannabis (in epilepsy, sclerosis multiplex (SM), vomiting and nausea, pain, appetite loss, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), Parkinson's disease, Tourette's syndrome, schizophrenia, glaucoma, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)), which has been proven so far, results from the affinity of these compounds predominantly for the receptors of the endocannabinoid system (the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1), type two (CB2), and the G protein-coupled receptor 55 (GPR55)) but, also, for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), glycine receptors, serotonin receptors (5-HT), transient receptor potential channels (TRP), and GPR, opioid receptors. The synergism of action of phytochemicals present in Cannabis sp. raw material is also expressed in their increased bioavailability and penetration through the blood-brain barrier. This review provides an overview of phytochemistry and pharmacology of compounds present in Cannabis extracts in the context of the current knowledge about their synergistic actions and the implications of clinical use in the treatment of selected diseases.

Keywords: Cannabis; multitarget; phytocannabinoids (THC and CBD); receptors; terpenes.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Endocannabinoid structures: (A) anandamide and (B) 2-arachidonoylglycerol.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Classes of phytocannabinoids, according to ElSohly M. A. [44].
Figure 3
Figure 3
The structures of cannabinoids: (A) cannabidiol, (B) Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, (C) Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol, (D) cannabigerol, (E) cannabichromen, (F) cannabinol, (G) cannabitriol, (H) cannabielsoin, (I) cannabicyclol, and (J) cannabinodiol.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Diagram of cannabinoid biosynthesis [42]. CoA: coenzyme A.
Figure 5
Figure 5
The structures of: (A)—monoterpenes (A1—α-pinene, A2—limonene, A3—terpinolene, A4—α-myrcene, and A5—linalool); (B)—sesquiterpenes (B1—β-caryophyllene and B2—α-humulene); and (C)—triterpenes (C1—friedelin and C2—β-amyrin).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Diagram of the biosynthesis of monoterpenes (A), sesquiterpenes, and triterpenes (B) [42]. MEP: methylerythritol phosphate, IPP: isopentenyl diphosphate, DMAPP: dimethylallyl diphosphate, GPP: geranyl diphosphate, MVA: mevalonic acid, and FPP: farnesyl diphosphate.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Diagram of the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds [42].
Figure 8
Figure 8
The structures of cannflavins: (A)—cannflavin A and (B)—Cannflavin B.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Pharmacological applications of extracts or drugs from Cannabis sp. or synthetic cannabinoids in diseases. COVID-19: coronavirus disease 2019.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Thatoi H., Patra J.K. Biotechnology and pharmacological evaluation of medicinal plants: An overview. J. Herbs. Spices Med. Plants. 2011;17:214–248. doi: 10.1080/10496475.2011.602471. - DOI
    1. Reed J.W., Hudlicky T. The quest for a practical synthesis of morphine alkaloids and their derivatives by chemoenzymatic methods. Acc. Chem. Res. 2015;48:674–687. doi: 10.1021/ar500427k. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Krishnamurti C., Rao S.S.C.C. The isolation of morphine by Serturner. Indian J. Anaesth. 2016;60:861. doi: 10.4103/0019-5049.193696. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Chida N. Chemistry of Opioids. Springer; Berlin/Heidelberg, Germany: 2010. Recent advances in the synthesis of morphine and related alkaloids; pp. 1–28. - PubMed
    1. Gulland J.M.R., Mem R. Constitution of codeine and thebaine. Proc. Manch. Lit. Phil. Soc. 1925;69:79–86.

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources