Potential of Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Endometriosis

Débora Almeida de Oliveira¹, Maurilio de Souza Cazarim² & Thaís Nogueira Barradas^2*

¹BscPharm, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil
²Professor, Ph.D., Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil

Dr. Thaís Nogueira Barradas, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil.

Keywords: Endometriosis; Endocannabinoids; Cannabinoid Receptors; Treatment Switching; Drug Administration Routes and Cannabinoids

Abstract

Endometriosis is a painful disorder that affects many women characterized by the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity, being closely related to infertility. Endometriosis can be challenging, regarding both diagnosis and treatment. Recently, researchers suggest the relationship between new signaling pathways and endometriosis, which includes the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is constituted by a set of receptors, lipid ligands (i.e., cannabinoids), and enzymes with a wide distribution from the Central Nervous System (CNS) to the peripheral tissues, controlling physiological processes of nociception, inflammation, cell growth, anxiety, and memory, among others.

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