Protein / target

Cannabinoid receptor 1

CNR1P21554Homo sapiensSwiss-Prot
Clinically validated
Therapeutic maturity
4
Approved medicines
30
Clinical trials
Small-molecule tractable
Druggability
Approved Drug

Protein at a glance

Biological role

G protein-coupled receptor activity

Primary system

Nervous system

Strongest disease association

obesity disorder

Genetic literature evidence · score 0.30

Therapeutic maturity

Clinically validated target

4 approved medicines against this target

Druggability

Small molecule

Open Targets tractability · Approved Drug

Clinical development

4 approved · 8 in clinical development

30 linked trials

Derived from structured UniProt, Open Targets and literature data on this page.

Protein profile

UniProt 2026_02

Canonical identity and biological annotation from UniProt.

Function

G protein-coupled receptor for endogenous cannabinoids (eCBs), including N-arachidonoylethanolamide (also called anandamide or AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), as well as phytocannabinoids, such as delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (PubMed:15620723, PubMed:27768894, PubMed:27851727, PubMed:35637350). Mediates many cannabinoid-induced effects, acting, among others, on food intake, memory loss, gastrointestinal motility, catalepsy, ambulatory activity, anxiety, chronic pain. Signaling typically involves reduction in cyclic AMP (PubMed:1718258, PubMed:21895628, PubMed:27768894). In the hypothalamus, may have a dual effect on mitochondrial respiration depending upon the agonist dose and possibly upon the cell type. Increases respiration at low doses, while decreases respiration at high doses. At high doses, CNR1 signal transduction involves G protein alpha-i protein activation and subsequent inhibition of mitochondrial soluble adenylate cyclase, decrease in cyclic AMP concentration, inhibition of protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent phosphorylation of specific subunits of the mitochondrial electron transport system, including NDUFS2. In the hypothalamus, inhibits leptin-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and mediates cannabinoid-induced increase in SREBF1 and FASN gene expression. In response to cannabinoids, drives the release of orexigenic beta-endorphin, but not that of melanocyte-stimulating hormone alpha/alpha-MSH, from hypothalamic POMC neurons, hence promoting food intake. In the hippocampus, regulates cellular respiration and energy production in response to cannabinoids. Involved in cannabinoid-dependent depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition (DSI), a process in which depolarization of CA1 postsynaptic pyramidal neurons mobilizes eCBs, which retrogradely activate presynaptic CB1 receptors, transiently decreasing GABAergic inhibitory neurotransmission. Also reduces excitatory synaptic transmission (By similarity). In superior cervical ganglions and cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells, inhibits voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels in a constitutive, as well as agonist-dependent manner (PubMed:17895407). In cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells, cannabinoid-induced inhibition of voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels leads to vasodilation and decreased vascular tone (By similarity). Induces leptin production in adipocytes and reduces LRP2-mediated leptin clearance in the kidney, hence participating in hyperleptinemia. In adipose tissue, CNR1 signaling leads to increased expression of SREBF1, ACACA and FASN genes (By similarity). In the liver, activation by endocannabinoids leads to increased de novo lipogenesis and reduced fatty acid catabolism, associated with increased expression of SREBF1/SREBP-1, GCK, ACACA, ACACB and FASN genes. May also affect de novo cholesterol synthesis and HDL-cholesteryl ether uptake. Peripherally modulates energy metabolism (By similarity). In high carbohydrate diet-induced obesity, may decrease the expression of mitochondrial dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase/DLD in striated muscles, as well as that of selected glucose/ pyruvate metabolic enzymes, hence affecting energy expenditure through mitochondrial metabolism (By similarity). In response to cannabinoid anandamide, elicits a pro-inflammatory response in macrophages, which involves NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL1B and IL18 secretion (By similarity). In macrophages infiltrating pancreatic islets, this process may participate in the progression of type-2 diabetes and associated loss of pancreatic beta-cells (PubMed:23955712)

Subcellular location

Cell membraneMembrane raftMitochondrion outer membraneCell projection, axonPresynapse
Domains and Gene Ontology detail (17)

Gene Ontology

  • Ccytoplasm
  • CGABA-ergic synapse
  • Cglutamatergic synapse
  • Cgrowth cone
  • Cmembrane raft
  • Cmitochondrial outer membrane
  • Cplasma membrane
  • Cpresynaptic membrane
  • Fcannabinoid receptor activity
  • FG protein-coupled receptor activity
  • Fidentical protein binding
  • Padenylate cyclase-activating G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway

472 aa · 53 kDa · 3 isoforms

Biological roles

Reactome v97

What this protein does, drawn together from its UniProt function, Gene Ontology terms and Reactome pathways.

Synaptic signallingUniProt · GOG protein-coupled signallingUniProt · GOInhibitory neurotransmissionUniProt · GOExcitatory neurotransmissionUniProt · GOKinase signallingUniProtImmune signallingUniProt
View supporting evidence

Synaptic signalling

  • ·G protein-coupled receptor for endogenous cannabinoids (eCBs), including N-arachidonoyle…
  • ·Presynapse
  • ·GABA-ergic synapse
  • ·glutamatergic synapse

G protein-coupled signalling

  • ·G protein-coupled receptor for endogenous cannabinoids (eCBs), including N-arachidonoyle…
  • ·G protein-coupled receptor activity
  • ·adenylate cyclase-activating G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway
  • ·adenylate cyclase-modulating G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway

Inhibitory neurotransmission

  • ·G protein-coupled receptor for endogenous cannabinoids (eCBs), including N-arachidonoyle…
  • ·GABA-ergic synapse

Excitatory neurotransmission

  • ·G protein-coupled receptor for endogenous cannabinoids (eCBs), including N-arachidonoyle…
  • ·glutamatergic synapse

Kinase signalling

  • ·G protein-coupled receptor for endogenous cannabinoids (eCBs), including N-arachidonoyle…

Immune signalling

  • ·G protein-coupled receptor for endogenous cannabinoids (eCBs), including N-arachidonoyle…
View underlying pathways (2)

Concepts derived from UniProt GO Reactome — each badge above shows which sources supported that role.

Interaction neighbourhood

STRING v12.0

Proteins with the strongest functional or physical association. Node size and line weight reflect STRING confidence; hover or select a partner to inspect one association.

GNAI1GNAI2DRD2GPR55CNR2FAAHADORA2AGNB1MGLLGNG2CNR1

10 strongest partners — larger node and heavier line mean higher confidence

Functional and physical associations from STRING v12.0. Only associations with this protein are drawn — partner-to-partner links are not part of this evidence.

Drugs targeting this protein

2

Whether each drug engages this protein directly or through a complex, and how many other targets are recorded for it. Direct binders with few recorded targets are listed first.

Cannabidiol
Narrow target profileApprovedNegative allosteric modulator

Cannabinoid CB1 receptor negative allosteric modulator

Appears in clinical studies involving Seizure, hamartoma, Dravet syndrome, encephalopathy, progressive, early-onset, with brain edema and/or leukoencephalopathy

Direct interaction with this protein · Only this protein recorded as a target

Dronabinol
Narrow target profileApprovedAgonist

Cannabinoid CB1 receptor agonist

Appears in clinical studies involving Anorexia, cancer, Nausea and vomiting, Nausea

Direct interaction with this protein · Only this protein recorded as a target

ChEMBL mechanism, action type and target identity. Open Targets clinical status and indications.

Translational evidence

Open Targets 26

Why this target matters therapeutically — disease associations, drugs in development, tractability and safety, from Open Targets.

Strongest genetic associations

Human genetic evidence — the most direct causal link between this target and a disease.

obesity disorder0.30

Genetic literature · overall 0.63

Obesity0.30

Genetic literature · overall 0.54

Highest-confidence therapeutic associations

Diseases where a drug acting on this target has already reached clinical development.

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome0.93

Clinical · overall 0.57

encephalopathy, progressive, early-onset, with brain edema and/or leukoencephalopathy0.87

Clinical · overall 0.53

epilepsy0.87

Clinical · overall 0.54

Dravet syndrome0.86

Clinical · overall 0.54

Seizure0.85

Clinical · overall 0.52

Highest overall evidence

Remaining associations by Open Targets' aggregated evidence score.

cancer0.50

Literature

Nausea0.50

Clinical

Anorexia0.48

Clinical

Show all associations
obesity disorder0.63
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome0.57
Obesity0.54
epilepsy0.54
Dravet syndrome0.54
encephalopathy, progressive, early-onset, with brain edema and/or leukoencephalopathy0.53
Seizure0.52
cancer0.50
Nausea0.50
Anorexia0.48

Open Targets ranks 959 associations for this target and we store the top 10 by aggregated score. The long tail is largely literature co-mention and RNA-expression evidence, not evidence that this target drives those diseases.

Known drugs · 12 total

OTENABANTPhase 3

Obesity · obesity disorder · type 2 diabetes mellitus

AZD2207Phase 2

Obesity

SAD448Phase 1

ocular hypertension

TARANABANTPhase 3

Obesity · obesity disorder · metabolic syndrome

DRINABANTPhase 2

psychotic disorder · schizophrenia · Alzheimer disease

IBIPINABANTPhase 2 3

type 2 diabetes mellitus · Obesity · obesity disorder

DRONABINOLApproval

Anorexia · cancer · Nausea and vomiting

NIMACIMABPhase 2

diabetic kidney disease · gastroparesis · Obesity

CANNABIDIOLApproval

Seizure · hamartoma · Dravet syndrome

SURINABANTPhase 2

Obesity · obesity disorder · nicotine dependence

Tractability

SM · Approved DrugSM · Structure with LigandSM · High-Quality LigandSM · Druggable FamilyAB · Advanced ClinicalAB · UniProt loc high confAB · GO CC high confAB · UniProt SigP or TMHMMAB · Human Protein Atlas locPR · Half-life DataPR · Small Molecule Binder

Safety liabilities

decreased blood pressurecatalepsydysphoriaheadachehallucinationsdecreased painnervousnesspoor concentrationweight gainanalgesiadecreased heart ratedecreased body temperature

Clinical trials

30

Trials of drugs that target this protein — reached indirectly through those drugs, so a trial listed here studies the drug, not the protein.

Show remaining trials (24)

COMPLETED · via Dronabinol · NCT02472847

RECRUITING · via Cannabidiol · NCT05445804

NOT_YET_RECRUITING · via Cannabidiol · NCT07148843

COMPLETED · via Cannabidiol · NCT05317546

COMPLETED · via Cannabidiol · NCT02332655

COMPLETED · via Dronabinol · NCT04596826

ClinicalTrials.gov via the drug-target graph.

Forefront confidence

Synthesis

Our own weighting of the evidence behind each disease association. Human genetics and clinical evidence count for most; literature co-mention counts for little, because two entities sharing an abstract is not evidence that one drives the other.

obesity disorderWell supported
0.80
agreement 0.690.92
Clinical66%Genetic literature23%Literature11%

Open Targets aggregate 0.63 · 3 independent evidence families

ObesityModerately supported
0.73
agreement 0.620.85
Clinical62%Genetic literature25%Literature13%

Open Targets aggregate 0.54 · 3 independent evidence families

Lennox-Gastaut syndromeModerately supported
0.70
agreement 0.550.85
Clinical99%Literature1%

Open Targets aggregate 0.57 · 2 independent evidence families

epilepsyModerately supported
0.67
agreement 0.510.82
Clinical93%Literature7%

Open Targets aggregate 0.54 · 2 independent evidence families

Dravet syndromeModerately supported
0.67
agreement 0.510.82
Clinical93%Literature7%

Open Targets aggregate 0.54 · 2 independent evidence families

The evidence agreement range shows how closely the independent evidence families agree — it is not a statistical confidence interval, and nothing here is fitted to outcome data. Derived from Open Targets evidence types under Forefront weighting; the underlying per-type scores are shown above so the calculation can be checked.

What's happening now

27

Recent activity around this target, drawn from one canonical event stream. Every item is reached through 2 drugs that target this protein, so each event is news about that drug rather than about the protein directly.

  1. Label change2026-06-05

    Label change: CANNABIDIOL (NDA210365)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via Cannabidiol

  2. Label change2026-06-05

    Label change: CANNABIDIOL (NDA210365)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via Cannabidiol

  3. Label change2026-06-05

    Label change: CANNABIDIOL (NDA210365)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via Cannabidiol

  4. Label change2025-06-26

    Label change: CANNABIDIOL (NDA210365)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via Cannabidiol

  5. New publication2024-05-29
    Presynaptic nanoscale components of retrograde synaptic signaling.

    Science advances · 2024 · 11 citations · Europe PMC · via Dronabinol

  6. New publication2024-03-13
    Therapeutic applicability of cannabidiol and other phytocannabinoids in epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease and in comorbidity with psychiatric disorders.

    Basic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology · 2024 · 10 citations · Europe PMC · via Cannabidiol

  7. Label change2024-03-04

    Label change: CANNABIDIOL (NDA210365)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via Cannabidiol

  8. New publication2024-01-24
    Cannabidiol and its Potential Evidence-Based Psychiatric Benefits - A Critical Review.

    Pharmacopsychiatry · 2024 · 14 citations · Europe PMC · via Cannabidiol

  9. Indication expanded2023-10-20

    Indication expansion: CANNABIDIOL (NDA210365)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via Cannabidiol

  10. New publication2023-10-12
    Emerging Therapeutic Potential of Cannabidiol (CBD) in Neurological Disorders: A Comprehensive Review.

    Behavioural neurology · 2023 · 37 citations · Europe PMC · via Cannabidiol

  11. Label change2022-02-24

    Label change: CANNABIDIOL (NDA210365)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via Cannabidiol

  12. New publication2022-01-28
    Therapeutic Potential of Cannabis, Cannabidiol, and Cannabinoid-Based Pharmaceuticals.

    Pharmacology · 2022 · 168 citations · Europe PMC · via Cannabidiol

Objective event titles are shown unmodified; the event kind and significance line are derived from structured fields. Forefront AttentionEvent stream aggregating Europe PMC Regulatory filings ClinicalTrials.gov.