Scripps VIVO scripps research logo

  • Index
  • Log in
  • Home
  • People
  • Organizations
  • Research
  • Events
Search form

A molecular link between the active component of marijuana and Alzheimer's disease pathology

Academic Article
uri icon
  • Overview
  • Research
  • Identity
  • Additional Document Info
  • View All
scroll to property group menus

Overview

authors

  • Eubanks, L. M.
  • Rogers, C. J.
  • Beuscher, A. E.
  • Koob, George
  • Olson, Arthur
  • Dickerson, Tobin
  • Janda, Kim

publication date

  • November 2006

journal

  • Molecular Pharmaceutics  Journal

abstract

  • Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia among the elderly, and with the ever-increasing size of this population, cases of Alzheimer's disease are expected to triple over the next 50 years. Consequently, the development of treatments that slow or halt the disease progression have become imperative to both improve the quality of life for patients and reduce the health care costs attributable to Alzheimer's disease. Here, we demonstrate that the active component of marijuana, Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), competitively inhibits the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) as well as prevents AChE-induced amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta) aggregation, the key pathological marker of Alzheimer's disease. Computational modeling of the THC-AChE interaction revealed that THC binds in the peripheral anionic site of AChE, the critical region involved in amyloidgenesis. Compared to currently approved drugs prescribed for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, THC is a considerably superior inhibitor of Abeta aggregation, and this study provides a previously unrecognized molecular mechanism through which cannabinoid molecules may directly impact the progression of this debilitating disease.

subject areas

  • Acetylcholinesterase
  • Alzheimer Disease
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Animals
  • Cannabis
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Dronabinol
  • Electrophorus
  • Mice
  • Models, Biological
  • Models, Molecular
  • Plaque, Amyloid
scroll to property group menus

Research

keywords

  • Alzheimer's disease
  • acetylcholinesterase
  • cannabinoids
scroll to property group menus

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC2562334

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 1543-8384

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1021/mp060066m

PubMed ID

  • 17140265
scroll to property group menus

Additional Document Info

start page

  • 773

end page

  • 777

volume

  • 3

issue

  • 6

©2021 The Scripps Research Institute | Terms of Use | Powered by VIVO

  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Support