Dose-Response Relationship
The relationship between the dose of a drug and the magnitude of its effect. Can be linear, logarithmic, biphasic, or bell-shaped.
In Depth
Cannabinoids exhibit complex dose-response relationships. THC shows a biphasic response for anxiety (anxiolytic at low doses, anxiogenic at high doses). CBD shows a bell-shaped dose-response for anxiety in animal models, with optimal effects at intermediate doses. Understanding dose-response is critical for clinical dosing — the therapeutic window for cannabinoids can be narrow, and individual variation in response is substantial due to differences in ECS tone, CB1 receptor density, and metabolic enzyme activity.
Related Terms
More in Pharmacology
Endocannabinoid System (ECS)
A lipid-based retrograde neurotransmitter system comprising endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids), their receptors (CB1, CB2), and metabolic enzymes.
CB1 Receptor
Cannabinoid receptor type 1. A G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) primarily expressed in the central nervous system. The primary target of THC's psychoactive effects.
CB2 Receptor
Cannabinoid receptor type 2. A GPCR primarily expressed in immune tissues and peripheral organs. Less abundant in the CNS than CB1.
Anandamide (AEA)
N-arachidonoylethanolamine. The first endocannabinoid identified. A partial agonist at CB1 and CB2 receptors, named from the Sanskrit word "ananda" meaning bliss.
2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG)
The most abundant endocannabinoid in the brain. A full agonist at both CB1 and CB2 receptors.