Pharmacological actions of cannabinoids.

Abstract in brief

• Cannabinoids interact with two main types of G protein-coupled receptors, CB1 primarily in nerve terminals to inhibit transmitter release, and CB2 mainly on immune cells to regulate cytokine production.
• Endogenous ligands called endocannabinoids, like anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol, activate these receptors, leading to various pharmacological effects, and compounds have been developed to selectively target CB1 and CB2) receptors as agonists or antagonists.
• Besides CB1 and CB2, cannabinoids can also act on other targets such as TRPV1 receptors, cannabinoid-like receptors on neurons and immune cells, and allosteric sites on ion channels, indicating a complex system influencing pain, vasorelaxation, immune responses, and neural activity.]