JWH-098 is a synthetic cannabinoid receptor

agonist An agonist is a chemical that activates a Receptor (biochemistry), receptor to produce a biological response. Receptors are Cell (biology), cellular proteins whose activation causes the cell to modify what it is currently doing. In contrast, an R ...

from the naphthoylindole family. It is the

indole Indole is an organic compound with the formula . Indole is classified as an aromatic heterocycle. It has a bicyclic structure, consisting of a six-membered benzene ring fused to a five-membered pyrrole ring. Indoles are derivatives of indole ...

2-methyl derivative of a closely related compound JWH-081, but has markedly different affinity for the CB₁ and CB₂ receptors. While JWH-081 is around tenfold selective for CB₁ over CB₂, in JWH-098 this is reversed, and it is around four times weaker than JWH-081 at CB₁ while being six times more potent at CB₂, giving it a slight selectivity for CB₂ overall. This makes JWH-098 a good example of how methylation of the indole 2-position in the naphthoylindole series tends to increase CB₂ affinity, but often at the expense of CB₁ binding.

Legal status

In the United States, all CB₁ receptor agonists of the 3-(1-naphthoyl)indole class such as JWH-098 are

Schedule I Controlled Substance The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) is the statute establishing federal U.S. drug policy under which the manufacture, importation, possession, use, and distribution of certain substances is regulated. It was passed by the 91st United State ...

s. JWH-098 is illegal in Russia, Sweden, and the UK,The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Amendment) Order 2009
although it is unclear whether it has any history of human use.

References

JWH cannabinoids Naphthoylindoles Naphthol ethers Designer drugs CB1 receptor agonists CB2 receptor agonists {{cannabinoid-stub

Legal status

See also

References