Beyond Cannabis: Plants and the Endocannabinoid System

Plants have been the predominant source of medicines throughout the vast majority of human history, and remain so today outside of industrialized societies. One of the most versatile in terms of its phytochemistry is cannabis, whose investigation has led directly to the discovery of a unique and widespread homeostatic physiological regulator, the endocannabinoid system. While it had been the conventional wisdom until recently that only cannabis harbored active agents affecting the endocannabinoid system, in recent decades the search has widened and identified numerous additional plants whose components stimulate, antagonize, or modulate different aspects of this system. These include common foodstuffs, herbs, spices, and more exotic ingredients: kava, chocolate, black pepper, and many others that are examined in this review.

TrendsThe endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a homeostatic regulator of neurotransmitter activity and almost every other physiological system in the body.Its name derives from cannabis, the plant that produces cannabinoids (tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol, caryophyllene, and others), and whose investigation elucidated the myriad functions of the ECS.In the past two decades, additional research has discovered that many other plant foods and herbs modulate the ECS directly and indirectly. Advancing this knowledge may have important implications for human health and nutrition.