The cannabinoid acids: Nonpsychoactive derivatives with therapeutic potential

The discovery of carboxylic acid metabolites of the cannabinoids (CBs) date s back more than three decades. Their lack of psychotropic activity was not ed early on, and this resulted in a total absence of further research on th eir possible role in the actions of the CBs. More recent studies have revea led that the acids possess both analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties and may contribute to the actions of the parent drug. A synthetic analog sh owed similar actions at considerably lower doses. In this review, a brief s urvey of the extensive literature on metabolism of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocanna binol to the acids is presented, while more emphasis is given to the recent findings on the biological actions of this class of CBs. A possible mechan ism involving effects on eicosanoids for some of these actions is also sugg ested. Finally, an analogy with a putative metabolite of anandamide, an end ogenous CB, is discussed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science inc. All rights reserve d.