🌿 What is 2-AG and Why Does it Matter? 🌿

Fundamental Representation Almeida, C. F., Teixeira, N., Correia-da-Silva, G., & Amaral, C. (2022). Cannabinoids in Breast Cancer: Differential Susceptibility According to Subtype. Molecules, 27(1), 156. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27010156

Last week we explored anandamide (sometimes called the “bliss molecule”). This week, let’s dive into another important endocannabinoid: 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG).

🔹 What is 2-AG? 2-AG is a natural chemical your body makes on its own (endogenous cannabinoid). It’s one of the main messengers in the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which helps keep your body in balance (homeostasis).

🔹 How 2-AG Works with the ECS 2-AG attaches to both CB1 receptors (mostly in the brain and nervous system) and CB2 receptors (found in the immune system and other tissues). By doing this, it helps regulate:

✅ Mood and stress response

✅ Memory and learning

✅ Appetite and metabolism

✅ Pain and inflammation

🔹 How 2-AG is Made. Your body doesn’t store much 2-AG. Instead, it makes it “on demand” when it’s needed. Special enzymes in your cell membranes build 2-AG from fatty acids (specifically arachidonic acid). This usually happens in the brain and other tissues where fast signaling is needed.

🔹 How 2-AG is Broken Down. Once 2-AG has done its job, your body breaks it down quickly. The primary enzyme responsible for this process is monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL). This process mostly takes place in nerve cells and helps reset the system so signals don’t get too strong or last too long.

📚 Fun Fact: 2-AG is actually more common in the brain than anandamide, making it the most abundant endocannabinoid we know of.

✅ Takeaway: 2-AG acts like a “messenger on demand,” made when your body needs it and broken down just as quickly—helping keep your mind and body balanced.

Next week, we’ll take a closer look at how endogenous cannabinoids and phytocannabinoids can interact and work together within the body—shedding light on the connections between what we produce naturally and what the plant provides.

The following week, we’ll take a deeper step into the endocannabinoidome, where we’ll examine additional receptors, neurotransmitters, and the wider network of interactions that shape this system. It’s a complex landscape, but also a fascinating one—so stay tuned for more learning ahead.