Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine and Stanford University have developed a compound that simulates a natural cannabinoid molecule found in cannabis. The study published in Nature used a mouse model to show the effectiveness of the compound’s pain-relieving properties without the risk of addiction or psychoactive effects. The findings could inform the development of safe and effective pain treatments for humans.
The team believes that this compound could lead to significant developments in using cannabinoids for chronic pain treatments. Senior study author and Washington University professor of anaesthesiology Dr. Susruta Majumdar explained the significance of this project: “The custom-designed compound we created attaches to pain-reducing receptors in the body, but by design, it can’t reach the brain. This means the compound avoids psychoactive side effects such as mood changes and isn’t addictive because it doesn’t act on the brain’s reward center.”
The researchers designed a cannabinoid molecule with a positive charge, and this condition prevents it from crossing the blood-brain barrier into the brain while allowing the molecule to influence CB1 receptors located in other parts of the body. This modification influences the molecule so that it only binds to pain-sensing nerve cells outside of the brain and therefore does not produce psychoactive effects. The altered compound provided extended pain relief, and the mice did not exhibit any signs of increased tolerance despite twice-daily treatments for nine days. The findings suggest the compound may be used as a nonaddictive treatment for chronic pain.
Collaborating researchers from Stanford University conducted complex computational modeling that revealed a hidden pocket on the CB1 receptor that could function as an additional binding site. The hidden pocket promotes reduced cellular activity related to developing tolerance in comparison to the conventional binding site. The researchers found that the pocket is accessible for brief periods of time, which allows the modified cannabinoid compound to bind.
Sources: Eureka News Alert, Nature, Washington University
