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Cannabinoids and neuroinflammation

  1. Lisa Walter1,
  2. Nephi Stella1,2,*

Article first published online: 30 JAN 2009

DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0705667

Issue

British Journal of Pharmacology

British Journal of Pharmacology

Volume 141, Issue 5, pages 775–785, March 2004

Additional Information

How to Cite

Walter, L. and Stella, N. (2004), Cannabinoids and neuroinflammation. British Journal of Pharmacology, 141: 775–785. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0705667

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, U.S.A.

  2. 2

    Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, U.S.A.

*Departments of Pharmacology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, U.S.A. E-mail: nstella@u.washington.edu

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 30 JAN 2009
  2. Article first published online: 30 JAN 2009
  3. (Received October 8, 2003, Revised November 7, 2003, Accepted December 11, 2003)

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Keywords:

  • Cannabinoid;
  • glia;
  • immune cells;
  • inflammation;
  • multiple sclerosis

Growing evidence suggests that a major physiological function of the cannabinoid signaling system is to modulate neuroinflammation. This review discusses the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabinoid compounds at molecular, cellular and whole animal levels, first by examining the evidence for anti-inflammatory effects of cannabinoids obtained using in vivo animal models of clinical neuroinflammatory conditions, specifically rodent models of multiple sclerosis, and second by describing the endogenous cannabinoid (endocannabinoid) system components in immune cells. Our aim is to identify immune functions modulated by cannabinoids that could account for their anti-inflammatory effects in these animal models.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2004) 141, 775–785. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705667

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (228K)