Endocannabinoids inhibit the growth of free-living amoebae.
The cannabinoid Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol inhibits the growth of some pathogenic amoebae in vitro and exacerbates amoebic encephalitis in animal models. However, the effects of endogenous cannabinoids on amoebae remain unknown. Therefore, we tested several endocannabinoids (N-acyl ethanolamines and 2-O-acyl glycerol) on different genera of amoebae. The results showed that all of the endocannabinoids tested inhibit amoebic growth at subpharmacological doses, with 50% inhibitory concentrations ranging from 15 to 20 microM. A nonhydrolyzable endocannabinoid had similar effects, showing that the inhibition seen results from endocannabinoids per se rather than from a catabolic product.