Title:Molecular Targets of Cannabinoids Associated with Depression
Volume: 29
Issue: 11
Author(s): Pradeep Paudel, Samir Ross and Xing-Cong Li*
Affiliation:
- National Center for Natural Products Research, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of
Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi 38677, United States
- Department of Bio-Molecular Sciences, The University of Mississippi, Mississippi 38677, United States
Keywords:
Cannabinoids, molecular targets, depression, CB receptors, MAO, NMDA receptors, GABA receptors, CCK receptors.
Abstract: Novel therapeutic strategies are needed to address depression, a major neurological
disorder affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Cannabinoids and their synthetic
derivatives have demonstrated numerous neurological activities and may have the potential to
be developed into new treatments for depression. This review highlights cannabinoid (CB)
receptors, monoamine oxidase (MAO), N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, gammaaminobutyric
acid (GABA) receptor, and cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor as key molecular
targets of cannabinoids that are associated with depression. The anti-depressant activity of
cannabinoids and their binding modes with cannabinoid receptors are discussed, providing
insights into rational design and discovery of new cannabinoids or cannabimimetic agents
with improved druggable properties.