THC-like brain chemicals act as antidepressant

Researchers have found a way to boost the level of anandamide (an endogenous THC-like cannabinoid) in rats exposed to stress, and guess what happens? The rats like totally mellow out. From the study:

The researchers administered URB597 to chronically stressed rats which showed behaviors similar to those seen in depressed human patients. After five weeks of treatment, the stressed rats treated with the drug were behaving similarly to a comparison group of unstressed animals. The study appears in the Nov. 15 issue of Biological Psychiatry.

URB597 works by inhibiting FAAH, an enzyme in the body that breaks down anandamide. Dubbed “the bliss molecule” for its similarities to the active ingredient in marijuana, anandamide is a neurotransmitter that is part of the brain’s endocannabinoid system and it has been shown in studies by Piomelli and others to play analgesic, anti-anxiety and antidepressant roles. It also is involved in regulating feeding and obesity. Blocking FAAH activity boosts the effects of anandamide without producing the “high” seen with marijuana.

So there you have it. Science has once again found a way to take all the fun out of drugs.

Follow-up: According to Wired sea-urchin eggs also contain anadamide, which when mixed with THC can produce amazing new drugs (not that there's anything wrong with the old ones...)