Synthetic Cannabinoid Offers Pain Relief Without Addiction or Psychoactive Effects

Researchers have developed a modified cannabis-inspired compound that provides effective pain relief in mice without triggering brain activity linked to addiction or tolerance.

• The compound, developed by researchers at Washington University and Stanford University, mimics cannabis' pain-relieving properties while preventing psychoactive effects by not crossing the blood-brain barrier.
• In mouse studies, the synthetic cannabinoid effectively alleviated pain from nerve injuries and migraines without causing addiction or tolerance, even with repeated use.
• The compound targets CB1 receptors outside the brain, delivering pain relief without acting on the brain's reward system, which is responsible for addiction in opioid use.
• A hidden binding pocket on the CB1 receptor, identified through computational modeling, contributes to the compound's ability to avoid tolerance while maintaining effectiveness.
• Researchers aim to refine the compound for oral or patch-based administration and plan to pursue clinical trials, though human testing could take several years.

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