The National Institutes of Health (NIH) detailed medical research into the structure of the human cannabinoid (CB1) receptor that was conducted by a team of researchers in China and the United States. An interesting aspect of the study is that it was funded by National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which isn’t known for supporting pro-cannabis research.
Cannabinoids can produce very different outcomes, depending on how they bind to the CB1 receptor. Understanding how these chemicals bind to the CB1 receptor will help guide the design of new medications and provide insight into the therapeutic promise of the body’s cannabinoid system.
NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow
According to the authors, the study paves the way for the development of next-generation CB1-targeting pharmaceuticals. The paper by Hua, et al., can be found at http://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(16)31385-X