How a Component in Marijuana Works Within Your Cells

How do the active components in marijuana work within cells? Scientists have taken a closer look. They've identified fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) as intracellular transporters for two ingredients in marijuana, TCH and CBD, which may reveal how CBD works within the cells.

CBD differs from THC in that it is not psychoactive and does not bind to cannabinoid receptors. Some children who are resistant to conventional antiepileptic drugs have been reported to show improvement with oral CBD treatment. In this case, the researchers found that three brain FABPs carry THC and CBD from the cell membrane to the interior of the cell. This action enabled them to conduct experiments inhibiting FABPs and thereby reducing anandamide breakdown inside the cells.

"Anandamide, an endocannabinoid, has been shown to have neuroprotective effects against seizures in basic research studies and this may turn out to be a key mechanism of seizure control," said Dale Deutsch, one of the researchers, in a news release. "Therefore by CBD inhibiting FABPS, we could potentially raise the levels of anandamide in the brain's synapses."

The findings could be huge in terms of understanding how marijuana impacts cells. This, in turn, could lead to future treatments for seizures in patients.

The findings are published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

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