Effect of blockage of the endocannabinoid system by CB(1) antagonism on cardiovascular risk.
Journal Title: Pharmacological Reports - Year 2009, Vol 61, Issue 1
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system is a crucial player in the inflammatory processes underlying atherosclerosis. Recently, basic research studies and animal models have strongly supported the role of the endocannabinoid system not only in the regulation of classical cardiovascular risk factors (including lipid profile and glucose homeostasis), but also in the activation of immune cells and inflammatory mediators. Clinical trials investigating treatment with rimonabant (a selective antagonist of the cannabinoid type 1 receptor) have suggested a beneficial effect of this drug in the management of obesity. Further studies are needed to explore a possible use for rimonabant in treating type 2 diabetes and acute and chronic cardiovascular disease. Despite the slight increase in adverse events (mainly psychiatric), which has led to the recent withdrawal of rimonabant from the market, CB(1) receptor antagonism might represent a very promising therapeutic strategy to reduce the cardiovascular risk. In the present review, we focused on the most important experimental investigations into the role of the endocannabinoid system in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk.
Authors and Affiliations
François Mach, Fabrizio Montecucco, Sabine Steffens
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP134132
- DOI -
- Views 92
- Downloads 0
Kinetic studies of the effects of Temodal and quercetin on astrocytoma cells.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the kinetics of the effects exerted by Temodal and quercetin on the survival of the human astrocytoma MOGGCCM cell line. Our results indicate that quercetin was toxic and i...
Differential behavioral profile induced by the injection of dipotassium chlorazepate within brain areas that project to the nucleus accumbens septi.
Background: The effect of the agonism on γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors was studied within medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), amygdala (AMY) and ventral hipocampus (VH) in the plus-maze test in male rats bilaterally...
Antiatherogenic effect of quercetin is mediated by proteasome inhibition in the aorta and circulating leukocytes.
Quercetin, a plant-derived flavonoid, has attracted considerable attention as promising compound for heart disease prevention and therapy. It has been linked to decreased mortality from heart disease and decreased incide...
GET73 modulates rat hippocampal glutamate transmission: evidence for a functional interaction with mGluR(5).
In the present study, the effects of the γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) analog GET73 on hippocampal glutamate transmission have been evaluated by an approach combining in vivo microdialysis with the in vitro evaluation of tissu...
Effects of some convulsant agents on the protective activity of topiramate against maximal electroshock-induced seizures in mice.
The anticonvulsant activity of topiramate combined with some convulsant agents (bicuculline--BIC, N-methyl-D-aspartate--NMDA, and kainic acid--KA), given at subconvulsive doses, was evaluated in the maximal electroshock...