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This volume highlights the recent advances in the understanding of the endocannabinoid system and the likely benefit from the therapeutic effects of cannabinoid treatment in a variety of health issues.Archeological evidence has shown that Cannabis has a long history of use for multiple purposes, including the treatment of medical conditions. The primary active constituent of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), causes euphoria, enhancement of sensory perception, tachycardia, antinociception, difficulties in concentration and impairment of memory, among other effects. Despite these undesirable effects, signaling is mostly inhibitory and suggests a putative role for cannabinoids as therapeutic agents by managing several diseases where inhibition of neurotransmitter release would be beneficial. The themes of this book have been edited and written by world-leaders in the field, The contents of the volume aims at readers from a range of academic and professional disciplines, such as biomedicine, several areas of biology, neurology, clinical medicine and pharmacy.

The cannabinoid system plays a central role in a wide variety of physiological functions that touch upon cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, immune, and nervous systems. Cannabinoids also play a central role in developmental physiology, management of pain, and shaping of human behaviour. Recent movements towards legalization of marijuana use have bolstered scientific interest in the cannabinoid field and led to research efforts that would unveil multi-faceted effects and mechanisms of cannabinoid presence in different organs and at various stages of development. This book summarizes the recent advances in the field of cannabinoid research at multiple levels of resolution. It spans from systemic effects of cannabinoids on development, physiological function, and prevalent pathophysiological conditions to mechanisms that govern cannabinoid interaction with their relevant protein targets at atomic resolution. This book will be of interest to a specialized audience in the fields of biochemistry, pharmacology and developmental biology but alsoto a wider readership with interest in general physiology and cannabinoid signalling in biological systems.