Study reveals that Paracetamol can act through the endocannabinoid system

A study carried out by researchers from the University of Indiana in the United States and the University of Leiden in the Netherlands suggests that Paracetamol — one of the most widely used painkillers in the world — may exert its effect through the CB1 cannabinoid receptor in the brain, revealing an unexpected link between the famous drug and the endocannabinoid system. 

Paracetamol is one of the most widely used medications in the world to relieve pain and fever. It is found in the homes of millions of people and is considered a safe option, especially when other medications, such as ibuprofen, are not recommended. However, despite its popularity, scientists still do not know exactly how Paracetamol works in our bodies.

Although not yet peer-reviewed, the new study has a surprising finding: Paracetamol can relieve pain through the endocannabinoid system — the same system that is activated by cannabis compounds. In tests carried out on rats, researchers found that Paracetamol needs to activate the CB1 receptor in order to reduce pain. This receptor is the most abundant in the brain and central nervous system and also binds to THC, the main psychotropic compound in cannabis.

Research coordinator Andrea Hohmann explained that this link between Paracetamol and the CB1 receptor could be essential for creating better medicines in the future. Paracetamol is not a substance derived from cannabis, but in the brain it can mimic some of its actions, especially in relieving pain. This mimicry does not cause psychoactive effects, but it shows how different substances can use the same pathways in the body to help certain symptoms or pathologies.

The study also shows that paracetamol relies on an enzyme in the body called DAGL to produce an endocannabinoid (a naturally occurring cannabinoid produced by the body) called 2-AG, which helps activate the CB1 receptor. When this enzyme or receptor was blocked, paracetamol stopped working against pain. Interestingly, when the scientists used a blocker that only works outside the brain, paracetamol continued to work — which reinforces the idea that it all happens inside the central nervous system.

This discovery could change the way we view paracetamol and pain management, and help explain why the drug works for some types of pain and not others. It could also help to create new, more effective painkillers with fewer side effects. In addition, this study adds further support to the idea that the endocannabinoid system is an important target for new treatments — something that also reinforces the scientific interest surrounding medicinal cannabis.

With this new information, it may be necessary to rethink the way we use Paracetamol, especially in long-term treatments or when combined with other medications that act on the same system. In short, this study shows that, even after more than 100 years of use, Paracetamol still has secrets to reveal — and that these secrets may bring us even closer to new ways of treating pain, based on the science of the human body… and cannabis.

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Antonio João Costa

More postsBiography

I am one of the directors of CannaReporter, which I founded together with Laura Ramos. I am from the unique Island of Madeira, where I currently reside. While I was in Lisbon at FCUL studying Physical Engineering, I became involved in the national hemp and cannabis scene and participated in several associations, some of which I am still a member of. I follow the global industry and especially legislative advances regarding the different uses of cannabis.

I can be contacted by email at joao.costa@cannareporter.eu

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