Cannabinoids in Nature and Medicine

Originally a special issue of Chemistry & Biodiversity, the first part of this volume focuses on the plant Cannabis sativa, its active ingredients, and the discovery of cannabinoid receptors as well as the therapeutic applications of activating, or blocking, the receptors. Following an overview of the plant, its medicinal uses, and its preparations, further chapters cover biosynthetic pathways, pharmacological properties, cannabis-based medicine, toxicology, cannabis prohibition and clinical situations where blocking the cannabinoid receptors might be beneficial. The second part covers the journey from humans to plants, analyzing anandamide, as well as other endocannabinoids and endocannabinoid congeners, biosynthetic pathways, current knowledge of FAAH-1, FAAH-2, monoglyceride lipase and NAAA, concluding with new areas of research.