Loss of inhibitory synaptic transmission within the dorsal horn of the spinal cord plays a key role in the development of chronic pain following inflammation or nerve injury. Inhibitory postsynaptic transmission in the adult spinal cord involves mainly glycine. Cannabidiol is a nonpsychotropic plant constituent of Cannabis sativa. As we hypothesized that non-CB receptor mechanisms of cannabidiol might contribute to its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects, we investigated the interaction of cannabidiol with strychnine-sensitive α1 and α1β glycine receptors by using the whole-cell patch clamp technique. Cannabidiol showed a positive allosteric modulating effect in a low micromolar concentration range (EC50 values: α1 = 12.3 ± 3.8 μmol/l and α1β = 18.1 ± 6.2 μmol/l). Direct activation of glycine receptors was observed at higher concentrations above 100 μmol/l (EC50 values: α1 = 132.4 ± 12.3 μmol/l and α1β = 144.3 ± 22.7 μmol/l). These in vitro results suggest that strychnine-sensitive glycine receptors may be a target for cannabidiol mediating some of its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties.

Keywords:
Glycine receptor, Cannabinoids, Cannabidiol
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© 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel
2009
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