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Article
Open AccessPalmitoylethanolamide counteracts substance P-induced mast cell activation in vitro by stimulating diacylglycerol lipase activity
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is a pleiotropic endogenous lipid mediator currently used as a “dietary food for special medical purposes” against neuropathic pain and neuro-inflammatory conditions. Several mechan...
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Article
Open AccessIncreased levels of palmitoylethanolamide and other bioactive lipid mediators and enhanced local mast cell proliferation in canine atopic dermatitis
Despite the precise pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD) is unknown, an immune dysregulation that causes Th2-predominant inflammation and an intrinsic defect in skin barrier function are currently the two ma...
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Article
Rimonabant Precipitates Anxiety in Rats Withdrawn from Palatable Food: Role of the Central Amygdala
The anti-obesity medication rimonabant, an antagonist of cannabinoid type-1 (CB1) receptor, was withdrawn from the market because of adverse psychiatric side effects, including a negative affective state. We inve...
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Article
Neural precursor cells induce cell death of high-grade astrocytomas through stimulation of TRPV1
The authors uncover a mechanism for the known antitumor effect exerted by neural precursor cells (NPCs). NPCs migrate into tumors in vivo and secrete endovanilloids, which act as agonists for TRPV1, their recepto...
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Article
Open AccessEffect of the Cannabinoid Receptor-1 antagonist SR141716A on human adipocyte inflammatory profile and differentiation
Obesity is characterized by inflammation, caused by increase in proinflammatory cytokines, a key factor for the development of insulin resistance. SR141716A, a cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) antagonist, shows si...
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Article
Inhibition of basal and ultraviolet B-induced melanogenesis by cannabinoid CB1 receptors: a keratinocyte-dependent effect
Ultraviolet radiation is the major environmental insult to the skin and stimulates the synthesis of melanin in melanocytes, which then distribute it to the neighboring keratinocytes where it confers photo-prot...
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Article
Open AccessPossible Anandamide and Palmitoylethanolamide involvement in human stroke
Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are ubiquitous lipid mediators that act on specific (CB1, CB2) and non-specific (TRPV1, PPAR) receptors. Despite many experimental animal studies proved eCB involvement in the pathogene...
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Article
Open AccessDifferential alterations of the concentrations of endocannabinoids and related lipids in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of obese diabetic patients
The endocannabinoids, anandamide and 2-AG, are produced by adipocytes, where they stimulate lipogenesis via cannabinoid CB1 receptors and are under the negative control of leptin and insulin. Endocannabinoid leve...
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Article
Cannabidiol, a safe and non-psychotropic ingredient of the marijuana plant Cannabis sativa, is protective in a murine model of colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease affects millions of individuals; nevertheless, pharmacological treatment is disappointingly unsatisfactory. Cannabidiol, a safe and non-psychotropic ingredient of marijuana, exerts p...
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Article
Anxiolytic Effects in Mice of a Dual Blocker of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase and Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid Type-1 Channels
The endocannabinoid-inactivating enzyme, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), and the transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 (TRPV1) channel are new targets for the development of anxiolytic drugs. We stu...
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Article
Inhibitory effect of the anorexic compound oleoylethanolamide on gastric emptying in control and overweight mice
Gastric emptying regulates food intake. Oleoylethanolamide (OEA), an endogenous acylethanolamide chemically related to the endocannabinoid anandamide, inhibits food intake, but its effect on gastric emptying i...
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Article
Open AccessIncreased endocannabinoid levels reduce the development of precancerous lesions in the mouse colon
Colorectal cancer is an increasingly important cause of death in Western countries. Endocannabinoids inhibit colorectal carcinoma cell proliferation in vitro. In this paper, we investigated the involvement of ...
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Article
Cannabinoid CB1 receptor stimulation affords neuroprotection in MPTP-induced neurotoxicity by attenuating S100B up-regulation in vitro
In this study, we investigated the mechanism of S100B neurotoxicity and the effect of cannabinoids, in C6 cells treated with 1-methyl-4-phenyl 1,2,3,6 tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) and co-cultured with differentia...
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Article
Overactivity of the intestinal endocannabinoid system in celiac disease and in methotrexate-treated rats
The endocannabinoid system is upregulated in both human inflammatory bowel diseases and experimental models of colitis. In this study, we investigated whether this upregulation is a marker also of celiac disea...
