PHARMACOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL-EVALUATION OF ALKYLATED ANANDAMIDE ANALOGS

Anandamide (arachidonylethanolamide), isolated from porcine brain, has been shown to bind to the cannabinoid receptor and also to produce ca nnabimimetic activity in pharmacological assays. This study examined s tructure-activity relationships in alkylated anandamide analogs. The a nalogs were evaluated for their ability to displace [H-3]CP-55,940 in a filtration binding assay using rat brain membranes in the presence a nd absence of the enzyme inhibitor phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF ). Behavioral activity was assessed by the ability of the analogs to p roduce hypomotility and antinociception. Methylations at carbons 2 and 1' produced compounds stable in the absence of PMSF with similar affi nities and behavioral activity as anandamide. Addition of larger alkyl groups at these positions or nitrogen methylation reduced receptor af finity and behavioral potency. These results indicate that methylation s at specific carbons of anandamide confer stability in vitro.