Anandamide (ANA), also known as N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA), an N-acylethanolamine (NAE), is a fatty acid neurotransmitter. Anandamide was the first endocannabinoid to be discovered: it participates in the bodys endocannabinoid system by binding to cannabinoid receptors, the same receptors that the psychoactive compound THC in cannabis acts on. Anandamide is found in nearly all tissues in a wide range of animals. Anandamide has also been found in plants, including small amounts in chocolate. The name anandamide is taken from the Sanskrit word ananda', which means "joy, bliss, delight", plus amide.
Anandamide is derived from the non-oxidative metabolism of arachidonic acid, an essential omega-6 fatty acid. It is synthesized from N-arachidonoyl phosphatidylethanolamine by multiple pathways. It is degraded primarily by the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) enzyme, which converts anandamide into ethanolamine and arachidonic acid. As such, inhibitors of FAAH lead to elevated anandamide levels and are being pursued for therapeutic use.
Anandamide is also being explored for its role in diabetic neuropathy/neuropathy, as cannabinoids as well as exogenous or endogenous anandamide, demonstrate broad-spectrum antinociceptive properties in a model of painful diabetic neuropathy, mediated through peripheral activation of both cannabinoid receptors, i.e. CB1 and CB2, beside involvement of transient receptor vanilloid type-1 (TRPV1) channels in the pain modulation, as endovanilloid signalling modulates local pain, as well as in reduction of inflammation associated with renal injury.