Therapeutic Potential of Cannabinoid Receptors Type 1 and 2—Novel Insights for Enhancing the Chance of Clinical Success
A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmacology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 19266
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is an important lipid signaling system ubiquitous to all vertebrates, and is involved in mediating key processes of central and peripheral diseases, including chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, diabetes, and kidney diseases, all of which cause a significant health and socioeconomic burden. The ECS’s key elements include lipid signaling molecules termed ‘endocannabinoids’, their respective receptors, biosynthetic as well as hydrolytic enzymes, and transporters. In particular, cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) and type 2 (CB2R) hold great therapeutic potential. While Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the most prominent plant-derived cannabinoids, numerous further phytocannabinoids and synthetic ligands targeting CB1R and CB2R have been identified and generated within recent decades. Although multiple of these ligands have been evaluated in humans, clinical success is still limited. Recent developments, including the generation of CB1R and CB2R 3D structures, the identification of allosteric binding pockets, the synthesis of organ-system-selective ligands, a better understanding of biased signaling, and mechanisms of action, could facilitate the design of next-generation drugs, thus, unlocking the receptors’ full therapeutic potential. In this Special Issue of Pharmaceuticals, authors are invited to submit original and review articles covering preclinical and clinical findings enhancing the chance of clinical success of CB1R and CB2R therapies. The proposed topics can cover novel ligands, chemical probes, and mechanistic, translational and biomarker in vitro and in vivo studies. We look forward to your valuable contributions.
Dr. Uwe M. Grether
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- endocannabinoid system (ECS)
- cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R)
- cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2R)
- cannabinoids
- ligand
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