Regarding cannabis, the principal psychoactive constituent and its primary site of action are:

• A Cannabidiol acting on mu-opioid receptors in the spinal cord
• B Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol acting on CB1 receptors in the brain ✓
• C Cannabinol acting on GABA-A receptors in the cortex
• D Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol acting on nicotinic receptors at autonomic ganglia

Explanation

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol is the main psychoactive component of cannabis and produces euphoria, perceptual alteration, conjunctival injection and tachycardia chiefly through partial agonism at CB1 receptors concentrated in the basal ganglia, hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Cannabidiol is largely non-intoxicating, cannabinol is a weak degradation product, and cannabis has no clinically significant action at opioid, GABA-B or ganglionic nicotinic receptors.

Reference: Essentials of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, R.K. Narayan Reddy, 33rd ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.