1. Targeting Endocannabinoid Metabolism: an Arrow with Multiple Tips Against Multiple Sclerosis
- Author
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Margherita Brindisi, Samuele Maramai, Maramai, S., and Brindisi, M.
- Subjects
Multiple Sclerosis ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Central nervous system ,Inflammation ,Disease ,monoacylglycerol lipa ,01 natural sciences ,Biochemistry ,fatty acid amide hydrola ,Drug Discovery ,medicine ,Animals ,Humans ,General Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics ,Pharmacology ,Molecular Structure ,010405 organic chemistry ,business.industry ,Multiple sclerosis ,animal model ,Organic Chemistry ,Neurodegeneration ,Immunotherapy ,endocannabinoid ,medicine.disease ,Endocannabinoid system ,0104 chemical sciences ,010404 medicinal & biomolecular chemistry ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,DISEASE STEPS ,Molecular Medicine ,medicine.symptom ,business ,Neuroscience ,Endocannabinoids - Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system. At present, there is no definitive cure, and the few available disease-modifying options display either poor efficacy or life-threatening side effects. There is clear evidence that relapsing-remitting clinical attacks in MS are driven by inflammatory demyelination and that the subsequent disease steps, being irresponsive to immunotherapy, result from neurodegeneration. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) stands halfway between three key pathomechanisms underlying MS, namely inflammation, neurodegeneration and oxidative stress, thus representing a kingpin for the identification of novel therapeutic targets in MS. This review summarizes the current state of the art in the field of endocannabinoid metabolism modulators and their in vivo effects on relevant animal models. We also highlight key molecular underpinnings of their therapeutic efficacy as well as the potential to turn them into promising clinical candidates.
- Published
- 2020