Naphthoylindoles

Naphthoylindoles are a class of synthetic cannabinoids.^[1]

Chemical structure of JWH-018, a simple naphthoylindole

Pharmacology

Behaving similarly in vivo to endocannabinoids such as anandamide or 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), naphthoylindoles can bind to endocannabinoid receptors in animals, presenting as CB₁ and/or CB₂ partial/full agonists.

History

They have gained notoriety over the years for illicit usage and distribution in Europe and North America, typically marketed as "herbal incense blends."^[2]

See also

• Structural scheduling of synthetic cannabinoids
• List of JWH cannabinoids, includes many naphthoylindoles
• Naphthoyl, an acyl group, derived, in this case, from 1-naphthoic acid
• Indole