Cannabis and Khat in Drug Discovery: The Discovery Pipeline and the Endocannabinoid System provides comprehensive coverage of two important psychoactive plants: Khat and Cannabis. Initial research has found that compounds and derivatives from Cannabis and Khat are found to have promising properties that can be used for the discovery, design and development of potential drug leads against various diseases. This book extensively discusses the drug discovery and allied sciences of these compounds in the drug discovery pipeline, including basic research and computer aided modeling in ligand-drug interactions and their interactions with the endocannabinoid system. Categorized into sections including, chemical analyses and bioassays, medicinal chemistry, chemical biology and pharmacology, clinical applications, and policy and regulations, this book covers the methods and protocols involved and will be of interest to students, researchers, policymakers and all those involved in drug discovery research.

Covers the medicinal chemistry, pharmacology and biological chemistry of cannabis, khat, their constituent compounds and metabolites
Presents both the adverse and the beneficial entities to health and drug discovery
Includes detailed methods and protocol information to allow easy replication and application

Table of Contents:

Part A: Introduction 1. Introduction to Catha edulis and Cannabis 2. Ethnomedicinal uses of cannabis 3. Ethnomedicinal uses of Catha edulis 4. Cannabis chemotypes: sativa, indica, and others 5. Cannabinoids and their subclasses - Lucia Kabanga 6. The Chemistry and Pharmacology of Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol 7. Cannabis infused foods: Efficacy, safety and regulation 8. Water resource demands and management in the growth of cannabis industrialization Part B: Chemical analyses and bioassays 1. Extraction and isolation of cannabinoids 2. Chromatographic fingerprinting and spectroscopic profiling of cannabinoids 3. Antiviral properties of cannabidiol (CBD) 4. In vitro and in vivo assays and safety profiles of cannabinoids 5. In vitro and in vivo toxicology of cannabinoids 6. Immunomodulatory properties of cannabis 7. Pharmacologically active ingredients from Catha edulis 8. Phytochemistry of Catha edulis 9. In vitro and in vivo assays and toxicity profile of Catha edulis 10. Physicochemical properties of Catha edulis 11. Cannabis and reproductive physiology Part C: Medicinal Chemistry, Chemical Biology and Pharmacology 1. Cannabinergics 2. Medicinal Chemistry of cannabinoids and endocannabinoids 3. Biosynthesis of cannabinoids and endocannabinoids 4. Cannabinoid ligands and receptors 5. Medicinal Chemistry of selected active compounds in Catha edulis 6. Catha edulis, Cannabis and the nervous system 7. Structural analysis of Catha edulis's sympathomimetric amines to amphetamine and adrenaline 8. Stimulants from Catha edulis 9. Catha edulis and concomitant drug bioavailability 10. Interactions of Catha edulis agents with CB2 receptors 11. In Silico Drug Design Studies of Bioactives in Catha edulis, Cannabis, and their derivative Part D: Catha edulis and cannabinoids in disease management; Clinical aspects Prologue to part D 1. Cannabis in pain management 2. Cannabinoids in cancer management 3. Cannabis in antimicrobial drug development 4. Cannabis in fungal infection management 5. Cannabis in Post-traumatic stress disorder management 6. Cannabis use in Unani Medicinal practices 7. Catha edulis in antimicrobial drug development 8. Dependence syndrome in Catha edulis product uses 9. Catha edulis in pain management 10. Catha edulis and type 2 diabetes mellitus 11. Catha edulis in the management of cancers 12. Clinical uses of cannabis and Catha edulis products 13. Cannabinoid therapy and concomitant administered agents 14. Dependence syndrome in cannabis product uses 15. Hepatocellular injury from Catha edulis 16. Innovative cannabis products on the market 17. Pestcides and disease causing contaminants in Khat and khat products Part E: Policy and regulations 1. Industrial and medical use approvals and regulations of Cannabis products 2. Conservation of Cannabis species and their products 3. Policy and Regulation of Catha edulis product uses 4. Future perspectives on the use of cannabis and Catha edulis products