1. Cannabinoid Type 2 Receptor as a Target for Chronic - Pain
- Author
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Massimiliano Beltramo and Schering-Plough Research Institute
- Subjects
Drug ,medicine.medical_treatment ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Analgesic ,Pain ,[SDV.BC]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Cellular Biology ,Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2 ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 ,Drug Discovery ,medicine ,Cannabinoid receptor type 2 ,Animals ,Humans ,Receptor ,ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS ,030304 developmental biology ,media_common ,Pharmacology ,Analgesics ,0303 health sciences ,business.industry ,[SDV.BA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology ,Chronic pain ,[SDV.BDLR]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Reproductive Biology ,General Medicine ,medicine.disease ,Rats ,3. Good health ,Clinical trial ,Disease Models, Animal ,Chronic Disease ,[SDV.SP.PHARMA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Pharmaceutical sciences/Pharmacology ,Nociceptor ,lipids (amino acids, peptides, and proteins) ,Cannabinoid ,business ,Neuroscience ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,Signal Transduction - Abstract
Availability of selective pharmacological tools enabled a great advance of our knowledge of cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) role in pathophysiology. In particular CB2 emerged as an interesting target for chronic pain treatment as demonstrated by several studies on inflammatory and neuropathic preclinal pain models. The mechanisms at the basis of CB2-mediated analgesia are still controversial but data are pointing out in two main directions: an effect on inflammatory cells and/or an action on nociceptors and spinal cord relay centers. In this review will be described the second messenger pathways activated by CB2 agonists, the data underpinning the analgesic profile of CB2 selective agonists and the mechanisms invoked to explain their analgesic action. Finally the ongoing clinical trials and the potential issues for the development of a CB2 agonist drug will be examined.
- Published
- 2009
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