Project title

Endocannabinoids as lipid mediators in reproduction

Scientific Coordinator's name:

Natércia Teixeira

Scientific Coordinator's e-mail:

natercia@ff.up.pt

Principal R&D Unit:

Biology of Inflammation and Reproduction

Other R&D Units involved in the project:

Other R&D units involved in the project

Project keyword(s)

endocannabinoids, pregnancy, anandamide

Short abstract and comments

Increasing evidence points towards the pathophysiological implication of endocannabinoids in both female and male fertility. In fact, endocannabinoids act as a major modulator in a variety of physiological functions as spermatogenesis, fertilization, embryo development, implantation and postimplantation embryo development. Furthermore, over the past few years, using the rat as an animal model and appropriate cell culture systems, we have investigated the role of endocannabinoids in the regulation of fetoplacental development. We point out that endocannabinoids regulation might be a novel and potentially important target . Thus, a better understanding in this area will help in the development of new strategies for clinical applications of the endocannabinoids –target drugs as next generation therapeutics in various infertility and pregnancy disorders.

Potential uses/indications

Cannabis consumption is among the main factors that affect negatively human fertility. Our experience in pregnancy studies may be helpful to predict how the emerging therapeutic agents based on the members of the endocannabinoid system may affect the activity of this endogenous system in reproductive tissues and consequently affect fertility and pregnancy out comes.