JWH-073, a

synthetic cannabinoid Synthetic cannabinoids, or neocannabinoids, are a class of designer drug molecules that Binding affinity, bind to the same receptors to which cannabinoids (Tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, Cannabidiol, CBD and many others) in cannabis plants attach. Th ...

, is an

analgesic An analgesic drug, also called simply an analgesic, antalgic, pain reliever, or painkiller, is any member of the group of drugs used for pain management. Analgesics are conceptually distinct from anesthetics, which temporarily reduce, and in s ...

chemical from the

naphthoylindole Naphthoylindoles are a class of synthetic cannabinoids. Pharmacology Behaving similarly in vivo to endocannabinoids such as anandamide or 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), Naphthoylindoles can bind to endocannabinoid receptors in animals, presentin ...

family that acts as a full agonist at both the CB₁ and CB₂

cannabinoid Cannabinoids () are several structural classes of compounds found primarily in the ''Cannabis'' plant or as synthetic compounds. The most notable cannabinoid is the phytocannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (delta-9-THC), the primary psychoact ...

receptors. It is somewhat selective for the CB₁ subtype, with

affinity Affinity may refer to: Commerce, finance and law * Affinity (law), kinship by marriage * Affinity analysis, a market research and business management technique * Affinity Credit Union, a Saskatchewan-based credit union * Affinity Equity Pa ...

at this subtype approximately 5× the affinity at CB₂. The abbreviation JWH stands for John W. Huffman, one of the inventors of the compound. On 20 April 2009, JWH-073 was claimed by researchers at the

University of Freiburg The University of Freiburg (colloquially ), officially the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg (), is a public university, public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The university was founded in 1 ...

to have been found in a "fertiliser" product called "Forest Humus", along with another synthetic cannabinoid (C8)-

CP 47,497 CP 47,497 or (C7)-CP 47,497 is a cannabinoid receptor agonist drug, developed by Pfizer in the 1980s. It has analgesic effects and is used in scientific research. It is a potent CB1 agonist with a ''K''d of 2.1 nM. Homologue On the 19th of ...

. These claims were confirmed in July 2009 when tests of

Spice In the culinary arts, a spice is any seed, fruit, root, Bark (botany), bark, or other plant substance in a form primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of pl ...

product, seized after the legal ban on

JWH-018 JWH-018 (1-pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, NA-PIMO or AM-678) is an analgesic chemical from the naphthoylindole family that acts as a full agonist at both the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors, with some selectivity for CB2. It produces effe ...

had gone into effect in Germany, were shown to contain the unregulated compound JWH-073 instead. Analgesic effects of cannabinoid ligands have been demonstrated in multiple animal pain models (neuropathic, nociceptive). These compounds work by mimicking the body's naturally-produced endocannabinoid hormones such as

2-arachidonoylglycerol 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) is an endocannabinoid, an endogenous agonist of the CB1 receptor and the primary endogenous ligand for the CB2 receptor. It is an ester formed from the omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid and glycerol. It is pres ...

and

anandamide Anandamide (ANA), also referred to as ''N''-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA) is a fatty acid neurotransmitter belonging to the fatty acid derivative group known as N-acylethanolamine (NAE). Anandamide takes its name from the Sanskrit word ''ananda ...

, which are biologically active and can exacerbate or inhibit nerve signaling.

Pharmacology

JWH-073 has been shown to produce behavioral effects very similar to THC in animals. Its effects are produced by binding and acting as an agonist to the CB₁ and CB₂ cannabinoid receptors. The CB₁ receptor is found in the brain. JWH-073 binds to CB₁ with a higher affinity than THC. CB₂ is found outside the brain, mostly in the immune system. The binding with CB₂ receptors has been shown to be similar between JWH-073 and THC. A search in the literature yielded no published studies of the effects of JWH-073 in humans, but these studies in animals suggest with high probability that JWH-073 produces effects very similar to those of THC in humans.

Derivatives

The 4'-methyl derivative of JWH-073 has been encountered as an ingredient of synthetic cannabis blends in Germany and several other European countries since 2010. The 4'-methoxy derivative JWH-080 is also known to be a potent cannabinoid agonist and has been banned in some countries, though it is unclear if it has also been used in synthetic cannabis smoking blends.

Legal status

United States

The US

DEA The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating illicit drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domes ...

temporarily declared JWH-073 a

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 ...

on 1 March 2011 through 76 FR 11075, and permanently instated the same schedule on 9 July 2012 in the Section 1152 of the

Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act The Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act of 2012 (FDASIA) is a piece of American regulatory legislation signed into law on July 9, 2012. It gives the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to collect user ...

Australia

On 8 July 2011 the AUS government banned the sale of JWH-073. JWH-073 is considered a Schedule 9 prohibited substance in Australia under the Poisons Standard (October 2015). A Schedule 9 substance is a substance which may be abused or misused, the manufacture, possession, sale or use of which should be prohibited by law except when required for medical or scientific research, or for analytical, teaching or training purposes with approval of Commonwealth and/or State or Territory Health Authorities.

New Zealand

On 8 May 2014 the New Zealand government banned the sale of JWH-073.

Turkey

On 7 January 2011 the Turkey government banned the sale of JWH-073.

Germany

JWH-073 has been classified under the

BtMG The Narcotic Drugs Act (, or BtMG) is the controlled substances law of Germany. In common with the Misuse of Drugs Act of 1971 of the United Kingdom and Controlled Substances Acts of the US and Canada, it is a consolidation of prior regulati ...

as Anlage II.

References

{{Cannabinoidergics Designer drugs JWH cannabinoids Naphthoylindoles CB1 receptor agonists CB2 receptor agonists Butyl compounds