N-Arachidonoyl Dopamine

Several different arachidonoyl amino acids, including N-arachidonoyl dopamine (NADA), have been isolated and characterized from bovine brain. NADA is the amide of the neurotransmitter dopamine and arachidonic acid. NADA is a CB1-selective agonist, inducing the typical tetrad of hypothermia, analgesia, catalepsy, and hypomotility in rats which exceeds that of anandamide (AEA). NADA is a full agonist at the vanilloid receptor 1, but is inactive on the dopaminergic D1 and D2 receptors. NADA is also a potent inhibitor (IC50 = 0.25 uM) of the proliferation of MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells. Recent reports of NADA’s endothelium-dependent vasodilation indicate that some of its cannabinergic activities antagonized by SR141716A may be non-CB1/CB2 dependent.