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anandamide
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Newsgroups: alt.psychoactives
From: jenkins@codon.nih.gov (George Vaughn)
Subject: Re: Anandamine ???
Message-ID: <jenkins-181094201128@128.231.99.71>
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 1994 00:11:38 GMT
In article <37438m$5g1@scapa.cs.ualberta.ca>, pjordan@cs.ualberta.ca (Peter
Jordan) wrote:
> FARM-PA@finou.oulu.fi (Pentti Arvela) writes:
>
> >Is it true that no one can tell me anything about the endogenous THC Anandamine
> >??????
>
>
> NO, but I'm busy right now .. wait a couple days and see!
What exactly would you like to know? I have not read much of the
scientific
literature (it has only recently been discovered). I will try to read some
of the relevant articles in the next few weeks and post a more
comprehensive
(and less scientifically worded) review. Until then, I hope this tides you
over. I realize this abstract might only be useful for people who have
studied
pharmacology, but it was all I could do on short notice.
George Vaughn
----------------------------------
Devane WA; Axelrod J
Enzymatic synthesis of anandamide, an endogenous ligand for the
cannabinoid receptor, by brain membranes.
Laboratory of Cell Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda,
MD 20892.
Source: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1994 Jul 5;91(14):6698-701
Unique Identifier: 94294446
Abstract:
Anandamide, an endogenous eicosanoid derivative
(arachidonoylethanolamide), binds to the cannabinoid receptor, a
member of the G protein-coupled superfamily. It also inhibits
both adenylate cyclase and N-type calcium channel opening. The
enzymatic synthesis of anandamide in bovine brain tissue was
examined by incubating brain membranes with [14C]ethanolamine and
arachidonic acid. Following incubation and extraction into
toluene, a radioactive product was identified which had the same
Rf value as authentic anandamide in several thin-layer
chromatographic systems. When structurally similar fatty acid
substrates were compared, arachidonic acid exhibited the lowest
EC50 and the highest activity for enzymatic formation of the
corresponding ethanolamides. The concentration-response curve of
arachidonic acid exhibited a steep slope, and at higher
concentrations arachidonate inhibited enzymatic activity. When
brain homogenates were separated into subcellular fractions by
sucrose density gradient centrifugation, anandamide synthase
activity was highest in fractions enriched in synaptic vesicles,
myelin, and microsomal and synaptosomal membranes. When several
areas of brain were examined, anandamide synthase activity was
found to be highest in the hippocampus, followed by the thalamus,
cortex, and striatum, and lowest in the cerebellum, pons, and
medulla. The ability of brain tissue to enzymatically synthesize
anandamide and the existence of specific receptors for this
eicosanoid suggest the presence of anandamide-containing
(anandaergic) neurons.