Glossary of Terms

Anandamide

aka: arachidonoylethanolamine or AEA

Anandamide is a neurotransmitter produced in the brain that binds to the THC receptors. It’s been called the “bliss molecule,” aptly named after ananda, the Sanskrit word for “joy, bliss, or happiness.” It is an endocannabinoid.

Eventually, anandamide was found to do a lot more than produce a state of heightened happiness. It’s synthesized in areas of the brain that are important in memory, motivation, higher thought processes, and movement control. It plays an important role in pain, appetite, and fertility. It also helps slow down cancer cell proliferation.

CB1 Receptor

The CB1 receptor is a G protein receptor that serves as a target for both endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids (compounds derived from the cannabis plant), including THC. It was only in 1990 that researchers mapped the locations of the CB1 receptors and determined that the CB1 receptor is very highly expressed throughout the brain. In humans, the CB1 receptor is 10 times more prevalent in the central nervous system as compared to the μ-opioid receptor. In the brain, CB1 receptors are located on presynaptic terminals and, when signaled, these receptors modulate neurotransmitter release. These receptors are the primary psychoactive cannabinoid receptors, and mediate numerous physiological processes, including cardiovascular function, energy homeostasis and reproduction. The activation of CB1 receptors also affects cognition and memory, reward sensation and emotional behavior, sensory perception, motor control, pain modulation and other functions.

CB1 receptors are also found in non-neural tissue, including adipose, liver, pancreas, skeletal muscle and immune cells

CB2 Receptor

Similar to CB1, CB2 is a G protein receptor that serves as a target for endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids. These CB2 receptors are primarily immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory. They are expressed on the cell membranes of B cells, T cells and macrophages. When signaled, CB2 receptors are generally inhibitory to immune cell activation. Expression of CB2 receptors is inducible and the number of receptors is increased by inflammation. As found in studies conducted in mice, reduced CB2 receptor signaling results in increased severity of inflammation in multiple organs.

Endocannabinoid System

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is an internal homeostatic system that plays a critical role in the nervous system and regulates multiple physiological processes, including the modulation of pain, appetite, digestion, mood, seizure threshold, coordination, and other processes (1, 2). The ECS also influences immunomodulation, cardiovascular functions, sensory integration, tumor surveillance, fertility, bone physiology, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, neural development, and intraocular pressure.

This homeostatic system was only discovered within the last three decades and was referred to as the endocannabinoid system because it is an endogenous system whose components interact with or resemble delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a compound derived from the cannabis plant.

Terpenes

Terpenes are aromatic components produced in the glandular part of the cannabis plant’s flower bud. Unlike cannabinoids, which are only manufactured by the cannabis plant, terpenes are manufactured by many plants and can be found in many food products, including coffee beans, ginger and cinnamon. Often, it is the terpenes that are responsible for a plant’s odor. Terpenes may modulate the uptake and effects of THC, CBD and other phytocannabinoids. Some terpenes have therapeutic properties of their own, such as anti-inflammatory, analgesia and sedation. The distinction between sativa and indica types of cannabis seems to be related to differences in content of terpenes.