Cannabinoids, chemical compounds found in marijuana, may be a key player in omega-3’s anti-inflammatory abilities. A new study reveals the chemical reactions that convert omega-3 fatty acids into cannabinoids—and the potential health benefits this process holds.
The study found that the cannabinoids in marijuana and endocannabinoids produced through omega-3s in the body both support the body’s immune system. However, the main cannabinoid in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is known to have unwanted psychotropic effects. With this in mind, omega-3s are attractive targets for the development of anti-inflammatory therapeutics.
Aditi Das, lead author of the study and a University of Illinois professor of comparative biosciences and biochemistry, notes that cannabinoids bind to two types of cannabinoid receptors in the body. One of them is found in the nervous system, while the other is located in the immune system.
“Some cannabinoids, such as THC in marijuana or endocannabinoids can bind to these receptors and elicit anti-inflammatory and anti-pain action,” she said. “Our team discovered an enzymatic pathway that converts omega-3-derived endocannabinoids into more potent anti-inflammatory molecules that predominantly bind to the receptors found in the immune system. This finding demonstrates how omega-3 fatty acids can produce some of the same medicinal qualities as marijuana, but without a psychotropic effect.”
