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Cannabinoid and opioid interactions: Implications for opiate dependence and withdrawal
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Cannabinoid and opioid interactions: Implications for opiate dependence and withdrawal

J.L. Scavone, R.C. Sterling and E.J. Van Bockstaele
Neuroscience, v 248, pp 637-654
17 Sep 2013
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.04.034
PMID: 23624062
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://europepmc.org/articles/pmc3742578View
Accepted (AM)Open Access (License Unspecified),  Open

Abstract

clinical endocannabinoid locus coeruleus marijuana norepinephrine stress
•Review of the problem of opioid dependence and withdrawal.•Review of cannabinoid effects on noradrenergic circuitry.•Review of cannabinoid opioid cross-talk.•Targeting cannabinoid opioid interactions in novel therapeutic approaches. Withdrawal from opiates, such as heroin or oral narcotics, is characterized by a host of aversive physical and emotional symptoms. High rates of relapse and limited treatment success rates for opiate addiction have prompted a search for new approaches. For many opiate addicts, achieving abstinence may be further complicated by poly-drug use and co-morbid mental disorders. Research over the past decade has shed light on the influence of endocannabinoids (ECs) on the opioid system. Evidence from both animal and clinical studies point toward an interaction between these two systems, and suggest that targeting the EC system may provide novel interventions for managing opiate dependence and withdrawal. This review will summarize the literature surrounding the molecular effects of cannabinoids and opioids on the locus coeruleus–norepinephrine system, a key circuit implicated in the negative sequelae of opiate addiction. A consideration of the trends and effects of marijuana use in those seeking treatment to abstain from opiates in the clinical setting will also be presented. In summary, the present review details how cannabinoid–opioid interactions may inform novel interventions in the management of opiate dependence and withdrawal.

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165 citations in Web of Science
173 citations in Scopus

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