Pharmacological and Toxicological Effects of Phytocannabinoids and Recreational Synthetic Cannabinoids: Increasing Risk of Public Health.

Synthetic Cannabinoids (CBs) are a novel class of psychoactive substances that have rapidly evolved around the world with the addition of diverse structural modifications to existing molecules which produce new structural analogues that can be associated with serious adverse health effects. Synthetic CBs represent the largest class of drugs detected by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) with a total of 207 substances identified from 2008 to October 2020, and 9 compounds being reported for the first time. Synthetic CBs are sprayed on natural harmless herbs with an aim to mimic the euphoric effect of Cannabis. They are sold under different brand names including Black mamba, spice, K2, Bombay Blue, etc. As these synthetic CBs act as full agonists at the CB receptors, they are much more potent than natural Cannabis and have been increasingly associated with acute to chronic intoxications and death. Due to their potential toxicity and abuse, the US government has listed some synthetic CBs under schedule 1 classification. The present review aims to provide a focused overview of the literature concerning the development of synthetic CBs, their abuse, and potential toxicological effects including renal toxicity, respiratory depression, hyperemesis syndrome, cardiovascular effects, and a range of effects on brain function.

The Glucose Metabolic Pathway as A Potential Target for Therapeutics: Crucial Role of Glycosylation in Alzheimer's Disease.

Glucose uptake in the brain decreases because of normal aging but this decline is accelerated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. In fact, positron emission tomography (PET) studies have shown that metabolic reductions in AD patients occur decades before the onset of symptoms, suggesting that metabolic deficits may be an upstream event in at least some late-onset cases. A decrease in availability of glucose content induces a considerable impairment/downregulation of glycosylation, which is an important post-translational modification. Glycosylation is an important and highly regulated mechanism of secondary protein processing within cells and it plays a crucial role in modulating stability of proteins, as carbohydrates are important in achieving the proper three-dimensional conformation of glycoproteins. Moreover, glycosylation acts as a metabolic sensor that links glucose metabolism to normal neuronal functioning. All the proteins involved in ß-amyloid (Aß) precursor protein metabolism have been identified as candidates of glycosylation highlighting the possibility that Aß metabolism could be regulated by their glycosylation. Within this framework, the present review aims to summarize the current understanding on the role of glycosylation in the etiopathology of AD, emphasizing the idea that glucose metabolic pathway may represent an alternative therapeutic option for targeting AD. From this perspective, the pharmacological modulation of glycosylation levels may represent a 'sweet approach' to treat AD targeting new mechanisms independent of the amyloid cascade and with comparable impacts in familial and sporadic AD.

The Dual Role of Glutamatergic Neurotransmission in Alzheimer's Disease: From Pathophysiology to Pharmacotherapy.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related dementia and neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by Aß and tau protein deposition impairing learning, memory and suppressing synaptic plasticity of neurons. Increasing evidence suggests that there is a link between the glucose and glutamate alterations with age that down-regulates glucose utilization reducing glutamate levels in AD patients. Deviations in brain energy metabolism reinforce the development of AD by hampering glutamate levels in the brain. Glutamate is a nonessential amino acid and the major excitatory neurotransmitter synthesized from glucose. Alterations in cerebral glucose and glutamate levels precede the deposition of Aß plaques. In the brain, over 40% of neuronal synapses are glutamatergic and disturbances in glutamatergic function have been implicated in pathophysiology of AD. Nevertheless, targeting the glutamatergic system seems to be a promising strategy to develop novel, improved therapeutics for AD. Here, we review data supporting the involvement of the glutamatergic system in AD pathophysiology as well as the efficacy of glutamatergic agents in this neurodegenerative disorder. We also discuss exciting new prospects for the development of improved therapeutics for this devastating disorder.