CANNABINOIDS AS VASODILATORS AND CARDIOPROTECTORS AGAINST ISCHEMIA

摘要

The potent anti-ischaemic effects of cannabis-like drugs in the brain and the presence of CB1 and CB2-type cannabinoid receptors in heart indicate that endogenous cannabinoids may contribute to protect the heart against the deleterious effects of ischemia and reperfusion. 2-arachidonylglycerol and palmitoyl-ethanolamide abolished the deleterious effects produced by ischemia and reperfusion by interacting with cannabinoid receptors located in heart the cannabinoid effects were antagonized cannabinoids by receptor antagonists. These results indicate that peripheral CB2 receptors participate in the intrinsic defense of the heart against ischaemic insult and their endogenously and locally produced agonists such as 2-arachidonylglycerol and palmitoylethanolamide may mediate this protective effect. Ischemic preconditioning affords protection to the endothelial function in resistance coronary arteries of the rat partially by activation of CB1 and CB2 receptors. Exogenous cannabinoid perfusion protected the endothelium via CB1 and/or CB2 receptors.