CAY10412

Anandamide (arachidonoyl ethanolamide; AEA) is an endogenous lipid with cannabinergic activity; along with 2-arachidonoyl glycerol, it forms part of the endocannabinoid system. AEA undergoes reuptake into neurons by a facilitated process. Controversy exists as to whether there is a specific AEA transporter, or instead the uptake process is simply driven by hydrolysis of AEA by intracellular fatty acyl amide hydrolase (FAAH) . CAY10412 is an analog of AEA that has no intrinsic binding affinity for either CB1 or CB2 receptors. It is a potent inhibitor of AEA reuptake in U937 lymphoma cells, with an IC50 of 3 μM. CAY10412 could be a useful tool for distinguishing the competing transporter theories. The pharmacology of CAY10412 is largely unexplored; it may enhance endocannabinoid signalling by augmenting endocannabinoid concentrations.