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Background and purpose: Tetrazoles were recently developed as inhibitors of the cellular uptake of the endocannabinoid anandamide or of its hydrolysis by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), but were proposed to act also on non-endocannabinoid-related serine hydrolases. Experimental approach: We tested, in a model of inflammatory pain induced in mice by formalin, five chemically similar inhibitors: (i) OMDM119 and OMDM122, two potent carbamoyl tetrazole FAAH inhibitors with no effect on anandamide uptake; (ii) LY2183240, a carbamoyl tetrazole with activity as both FAAH and uptake inhibitor; (iii) OMDM132, a non-carbamoyl tetrazole with activity only as uptake inhibitor and iv) OMDM133, a non-carbamoyl tetrazole with no activity at either FAAH or uptake. Results: All compounds (2.5–10 mg kg−1, i.p.) inhibited the second phase of the nocifensive response induced by intraplantar injection of formalin. The effects of OMDM119, OMDM122 and OMDM133 were not antagonized by pretreatment with cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonists, such as rimonabant or AM251 (1–3 mg kg−1, i.p.). The effects of LY2183240 and OMDM132 were fully or partially antagonized by rimonabant, respectively, and the latter compound was also partly antagonized by the CB2 receptor antagonist, AM630. Conclusions and implications: (i) non-FAAH hydrolases might be entirely responsible for the antinociceptive activity of some, but not all, tetrazole FAAH inhibitors, (ii) the presence of a carbamoylating group is neither necessary nor sufficient for such compounds to act through targets other than FAAH and (iii) inhibition of anandamide uptake is responsible for part of this antinociceptive activity, independently of effects on FAAH. British Journal of Pharmacology (2008) 155, 775–782; doi:10.1038/bjp.2008.308; published online 28 July 2008

Background and purpose: We have previously reported the development of CB-25 and CB-52, two ligands of CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors. We assessed here their functional activity. Experimental approach: The effect of the two compounds on forskolin-induced cAMP formation in intact cells or GTP-γ-S binding to cell membranes, and their action on nociception in vivo was determined. Key results: CB-25 enhanced forskolin-induced cAMP formation in N18TG2 cells (EC50∼20 nM, max. stimulation=48%), behaving as an inverse CB1 agonist, but it stimulated GTP-γ-S binding to mouse brain membranes, behaving as a partial CB1 agonist (EC50=100 nM, max. stimulation=48%). At human CB1 receptors, CB-25 inhibited cAMP formation in hCB1-CHO cells (EC50=1600 nM, max. inhibition=68% of CP-55,940 effect). CB-52 inhibited forskolin-induced cAMP formation by N18TG2 cells (IC50=450 nM, max. inhibition=40%) and hCB1-CHO cells (EC50=2600 nM, max. inhibition=62% of CP-55,940 effect), and stimulated GTP-γ-S binding to mouse brain membranes (EC50=11 nM, max. stimulation∼16%). Both CB-25 and CB-52 showed no activity in all assays of CB2-coupled functional activity and antagonized CP55940-induced stimulation of GTP-γ-S binding to hCB2-CHO cell membranes. In vivo, both compounds, administered i.p., produced dose-dependent nociception in the plantar test carried out in healthy rats, and antagonised the anti-nociceptive effect of i.p. WIN55,212-2. In the formalin test in mice, however, the compounds counteracted both phases of formalin-induced nociception. Conclusions and implications: CB-25 and CB-52 behave in vitro mostly as CB1 partial agonists and CB2 neutral antagonists, whereas their activity in vivo might depend on the tonic activity of cannabinoid receptors. British Journal of Pharmacology (2006) 149, 431–440. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706888

1 Pharmacological studies have suggested that A3 receptors are present on central neurons. Recently this adenosine receptor subtype has been identified in the rat and its presence in the central nervous system has been confirmed. 2 In this study we investigated the effects of acute intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injections of N6-2-(4-aminophenyl)-ethyladenosine (APNEA), a non-selective A3 adenosine receptor agonist, on arterial blood pressure (ABP) and heart rate (HR), after treatment with 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX), a selective antagonist of A1 adenosine receptors. 3 Anaesthetized rats, after DPCPX (12 μg−1 kg i.c.v.), were treated with APNEA (0.4–4 μg kg−1 i.c.v.) resulting in a transitory and dose-dependent decrease in arterial blood pressure without a change in heart rate. APNEA also induced hypotensive responses after i.c.v. pretreatment with aminophylline, at a dose of 20 μg kg−1. In contrast, pretreatment 48 h before, with 4 μg kg−1 i.c.v. of pertussis toxin reduced the hypotensive effect induced by APNEA. Administration of APNEA at a higher dose (20 μg kg−1 i.c.v.), after DPCPX, induced a decrease in ABP of −66±5.4 mmHg and after 3 min a decrease in heart rate of −62±6.0 beats min−1. Transection of the spinal cord abolished this significant fall in ABP, but not the decrease of HR. 4 These results suggest that a population of A3-receptors is present in the CNS, whose activation induces a decrease in blood pressure with no change of heart rate. British Journal of Pharmacology (1998) 125, 437–440; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0702126