Art, education, and humanities

Compounds with Cannabis-Like Effects

The technology

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the principle ingredient of cannabis produces psychoactive effects by binding to and activating the cannabinoid receptor, CB1. The selective CB1 receptor antagonist, rimonabant, is able to block these psychoactive effects produced by THC and other available CB1 agonists.

These are a series of new compounds chemically similar to rimonabant, which bind to CB1 receptor and produce THCike psychoactive effects without activating the receptor. This absence of activation has been confirmed by the fact hat these THC-like effects are not blocked by rimonabant.