Raphael Mechoulam, Center for Drug Research, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel (mechou@cc.huji.ac.il)

 
Over the last few decades research on the cannabinoids has gone through several distinct phases:

A. Research on plant cannabinoids [mostly on tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)].

B. Research on endogenous cannabinoids [mostly on anandamide and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG)]

C. Research on endogenous anandamide-like endogenous fatty acid amides with amino acids and ethanol amines.

1. Plant cannabinoids.  While many dozens of plant cannabinoids are known today, most research is still on THC and CBD. THC has been approved as a drug for enhancement of appetite, and is also used to prevent vomiting due to cancer chemotherapy. However of particular interest is CBD, which does not cause the typical cannabis psychoactivity, but is a potent anti- epileptic drug and is used in many countries in pediatric epilepsy. It is being evaluated in other therapeutic areas (graft versus host disease, schizophrenia, auto-immune diseases).


2. Endogenous cannabinoids. The endogenous cannabinoids anandamide and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) were discovered in the 1990's. Both compounds bind to the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2. They are involved in a very large number of diseases, mostly as neuroprotective entities. However neither anandamide nor 2-AG have been administered to humans and although they are highly promising as potential drugs clinical trials have to be undertaken.


3. Anandamide-like endogenous fatty acid amides with amino acids and ethanol amines. A large number of compounds of these types have been discovered in the brain and other tissues, and some of them have been shown to be of major importance in a large spectrum of biological functions and diseases. Thus, oleoyl serine is an anti-osteoporotic molecule, arachidonoyl serine is a vasodilator and lowers brain damage and oleoyl glycine has anti addiction properties.

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Abstract Reference & Short Personal Biography of Presenting Author

Professor Raphael Mechoulam

• 1930    Born Sofia, Bulgaria
  M.Sc. in Biochemistry, Hebrew University, Jerusalem
  
• 1953-1955  Army Service 
• 1955-1958 Ph.D. at Weizmann Institute, Rehovot.   Research on steroid synthesis. Advisor:  Professor F. Sondheimer
• 1959-1960. Postdoctoral research at Rockefeller Institute, New York.  Research on structure of triterpenes.
• 1960-1966. Junior and later Senior Scientist, Weizmann Institute.  Research on the chemistry of natural products, including cannabinoids, terpenes, alkaloids.
  
• 1966- Hebrew University, Jerusalem; 1968 – Associate Professor; 1972 –Professor
• 1975. Endowed chair: Lionel Jacobson Professor of Medicinal Chemistry
• 1979-1982. Rector (Academic Head) of Hebrew University
• 1993-94Visiting Professor, Departments of Pharmacology and Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, USA
• 1999-2000 President of the International Cannabinoid Research Society
• 2007-2013 Head, Natural Sciences Section, Israel Academy of Sciences.
  

Research interests:  chemistry and biological activity of natural products and synthetic drugs. Published ca. 450 scientific articles