Functional effects of synthetic cannabinoids versus Δ9 -THC in mice on body temperature, nociceptive threshold, anxiety, cognition, locomotor/exploratory parameters and depression.
Shaul Schreiber, Miaad Bader, Tatiana Lenchinski, Inbar Meningher, Vardit Rubovitch, Yiffat Katz, Etia Cohen, Yankel Gabet, Michal Rotenberg, Ehud Udi Wolf, Chaim G Pick
Addiction Biology May 1, 2019 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12606 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adult ICR mice |
| Interventions | AB-FUBINACA AB-CHMINACA PB-22 Δ9-THC |
| Duration | 50 minutes post injection |
| Topics | Anxiety Cannabis Depression |
| Keywords | Ab-chminaca Ab-fubinaca Pb-22 Cognition Mice δ9-THC |
| Citations | 30 |
| Key findings | All synthetic cannabinoids and Δ9-THC caused hypothermia, reduced anxiety, and impaired spatial memory, but only Δ9-THC had clear antinociceptive effects, and synthetic cannabinoids uniquely decreased locomotor activity. |
Abstract
Synthetic cannabinoids are psychoactive substances designed to mimic the euphorigenic effects of the natural cannabis. Novel unregulated compounds appear once older compounds become illegal. It has been previously reported that synthetic cannabinoids are different than Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9 -THC) as they have chemical structures unrelated to Δ9 -THC, different metabolism and, often, greater toxicity. This study aimed to investigate the effects of three novel synthetic cannabinoids and pure Δ9 -THC on body temperature, nociceptive threshold, anxiety, memory function, locomotor and exploratory parameters, and depression. We performed a battery of behavioural and motor tests starting 50 minutes post i.p. injection of each drug to adult ICR mice. The synthetic cannabinoids that were used are AB-FUBINACA, AB-CHMINACA and PB-22. All synthetic cannabinoids and Δ9 -THC caused hypothermia, but only Δ9 -THC induced a clear antinociceptive effect. All synthetic cannabinoids and Δ9 -THC caused decreased anxiety levels, spatial memory deficits and decreased exploratory behaviour as measured in the elevated plus maze, Y-maze and staircase paradigm, respectively. However, all synthetic cannabinoids but not Δ9 -THC demonstrated decreased locomotor activity in the staircase test. Moreover, only AB-FUBINACA and Δ9 -THC affected the gait balance and grip strength of the mice as was assessed by the latency time to fall from a rod. In the forced swimming test, PB-22 caused elevated depression-like behaviour while AB-FUBINACA induced a reversed effect. These results suggest varied effects among different synthetic cannabinoids and Δ9 -THC. Further studies are needed to characterize the overall effects and differences between these synthetic cannabinoids and Δ9 -THC.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on cannabis for anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Acute Ultra Low Dose THC Attenuates Anxiety-Like Behavior in a Mouse Model for Major-Depressive Disorder Journal of Molecular Neuroscience October 12, 2026
- Dopamine, γ-aminobutyric acid, and glutamate balance in the nucleus accumbens shell: Differential effects of cannabinoid 1 receptor agonists Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, AM11101, and AM8936. Neuropharmacology June 1, 2026
- FABP5 is important for cognitive function and is an important regulator of the physiological effects and pharmacokinetics of acute Δ9 tetrahydrocannabinol inhalation in mice. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior October 2023
- Effects of Δ9-THC and Type-1 Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists in the Elevated Plus Maze Test of Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research February 2023
- Effects of the synthetic cannabinoid 5F-AMB on anxiety and recognition memory in mice. Psychopharmacology July 1, 2019
and 1 more in the library
Cites 6
- Traditional marijuana, high‐potency cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids: increasing risk for psychosis World Psychiatry September 22, 2016
- Effects of the synthetic cannabinoid 5F-AMB on anxiety and recognition memory in mice. Psychopharmacology July 1, 2019
- Δ(9)-Tetrahydrocannabinol-like effects of novel synthetic cannabinoids in mice and rats. Psychopharmacology May 2016
- Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol-like effects of novel synthetic cannabinoids found on the gray market. Behavioural Pharmacology August 2015
- Withdrawal phenomena and dependence syndrome after the consumption of "spice gold". Deutsches Arzteblatt international July 3, 2009
and 1 more in the library