Trick or treat from food endocannabinoids?

Vincenzo Di Marzo (), Nunzio Sepe, Luciano De Petrocellis, Alvin Berger, Gayle Crozier, Ester Fride and Raphael Mechoulam
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Vincenzo Di Marzo: Istituto per la Chimica di Molecole di Interesse Biologico
Nunzio Sepe: Istituto per la Chimica di Molecole di Interesse Biologico
Luciano De Petrocellis: Istituto di Cibernetica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
Alvin Berger: Nestlé Research Centre, Nestec Ltd, Vers-Chez-Les Blanc
Gayle Crozier: Nestlé Research Centre, Nestec Ltd, Vers-Chez-Les Blanc
Ester Fride: David Bloom Centre for Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University
Raphael Mechoulam: David Bloom Centre for Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University

Nature, 1998, vol. 396, issue 6712, 636-636

Abstract: Abstract The discovery of the endogenous cannabinoid N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide)1 and other N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) in chocolate2 has led to speculation that the purported rewarding properties of cocoa are due to the presence of compounds “that could act as cannabinoid mimics”2. This observation raises some important questions. First, are NAEs and anandamide, or the ‘endocannabinoid’ 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG)3, present in widely consumed foods (such as milk) that are less ‘rewarding’ than chocolate? And second, to what extent do these compounds reach the bloodstream and exert pharmacological effects when consumed orally? We believe that the content of endocannabinoids in foods, and in cocoa in particular, is not sufficient to produce cannabis-like effects in mammals.

Date: 1998
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DOI: 10.1038/25267

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