Discovery of the endocannabinoid system
How can a substance that is produced by the body itself be harmful, addictive and classified as a drug?
It all started with the discovery of THC and anandamide.
Anandamide (from Sanskrit, ananda = bliss / joy / pure happiness) is an ethanol amine derivative of arachidonic acid, a four-fold unsaturated fatty acid that is particularly common in the central nervous system. Anandamine is produced by the body itself (if linoleic acid is present) and is considered an endogenous substance and the counterpart to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Professor Raphael Mechoulam (forefather of cannabis research) and Professor Yechiel Gaoni discovered the THC in the cannabis sativa in 1964. Then came the final breakthrough in 1992. The endocannabinoid system (ECS, endogenous cannabinoid system) was established through the discovery of anandamide and thus the presence of the endocannabinoid system and its receptors CB1 and CB2.
Not only does the human body have the endocannabinoid system (ECS) but also mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and even sea urchins.
Cocoa - Theobroma cacao
Cacao influences the endocannabinoid system by deactivating the FAAH enzyme, which is responsible for the image of the anandamide. Anandamide is a natural version of THC that our body can produce itself. Consuming natural chocolate increases the levels of anandamides in the brain because the function of the FAAH enzyme is decreased. The effect is similar to smoking cannabis - you feel relaxed and happy - but not the same as after consuming THC. Researchers from the Neuroscience Institute in San Diego have confirmed that chocolate contains 3 compounds that act like cannabinoids behavior
Terms for hemp names.
