title: Inhibition of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) as a novel therapeutic strategy in the treatment of pain and inflammatory diseases in the gastrointestinal tract.
abstract: Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is the enzyme crucially involved in the modulation of physiological processes mediated by anandamide (AEA), as well as other endocannabinoids and non-cannabinoid biolipids in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. FAAH also plays a major role in the etiology and the course of GI diseases and the inhibition of the enzyme has recently become a potential target for their therapy. In this review we look at the pharmacology of FAAH and possible clinical application of FAAH inhibitors in the treatment of GI disorders. In particular, we focus on inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), whose symptoms include abdominal pain and motility disturbances. We also discuss why the inhibitor-based drugs may replace in future conventional therapies for IBD and IBS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sałaga
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sobczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland. Electronic address: jakub.fichna@umed.lodz.pl.
authors.forename: Jakub
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fichna
mesh_terms: D000581:Amidohydrolases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000378:metabolism; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D000099252:Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolases
chemical_list: D000581:Amidohydrolases; D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D002186:Cannabinoids; D000099252:Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolases
keywords: 2-arachidonylglicerol (PubChem CID: 5282280); Abdominal pain; Anandamide (PubChem CID: 5281969); Endogenous cannabinoid system; Fatty acid amide hydrolase; Inflammatory bowel diseases; N-Arachidonoylphosphatidylethanolamines (PubChem CID: 42626462); N-oleoylethanolamine (PubChem CID: 5283454); Palmidrol (PubChem CID: 4671); Phosphatidic acid (PubChem CID: 5460104); Phosphatidylethanolamine (PubChem CID: 160963144)