Difference between revisions of "JWH-051"

Latest revision as of 21:08, 21 September 2010

JWH-051 is an analgesic drug which is a cannabinoid agonist. Its chemical structure is closely related to that of the potent cannabinoid agonist HU-210, with the only difference being the removal of the hydroxyl group at position 1 of the aromatic ring. It was discovered and named after Dr. John W. Huffman.

JWH-051 retains high affinity for the CB₁ receptor, but is a much stronger agonist for CB₂, with a Ki value of 0.03nM at CB₂ vs 1.20nM at CB₁.^[1] It was one of the first CB₂-selective ligands developed, although its selectivity for CB₂ is modest compared to newer compounds such as HU-308.

It has similar effects to other cannabinoid agonists such as sedation and analgesia, but with a relatively strong antiinflammatory effect due to its strong activity at CB₂.^[2][3][4]

References

1. ↑ Huffman JW, Yu S, Showalter V, Abood ME, Wiley JL, Compton DR, Martin BR, Bramblett RD, Reggio PH. Synthesis and pharmacology of a very potent cannabinoid lacking a phenolic hydroxyl with high affinity for the CB2 receptor. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 1996 Sep 27;39(20):3875-7. PMID 8831752
2. ↑ Huffman JW. The search for selective ligands for the CB2 receptor. Current Pharmaceutical Design. 2000 Sep;6(13):1323-37. PMID 10903395
3. ↑ Klein TW, Newton C, Friedman H. Cannabinoid receptors and the cytokine network. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 1998;437:215-22. PMID 9666274
4. ↑ Griffin G, Fernando SR, Ross RA, McKay NG, Ashford ML, Shire D, Huffman JW, Yu S, Lainton JA, Pertwee RG. Evidence for the presence of CB2-like cannabinoid receptors on peripheral nerve terminals. European Journal of Pharmacology. 1997 Nov 19;339(1):53-61. PMID 9450616