04/16/2025
Pharma didn’t ignorethe endocannabinoid system—it’s been trying to hack it for years.
One of the biggest targets over the past couple decades is FAAH (Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase)—the enzyme that breaks down anandamide (AEA), the best known endocannabinoid
By inhibiting FAAH, you can raise AEA levels, potentially easing pain, anxiety, inflammation, and more—all without the psychoactive effects of THC.
Sounds like an easy win... but the pharma route hasn’t gone smoothly.
After a tragic clinical trial in 2016 caused severe adverse effects (1 death and 5 hospitalizations), enthusiasm for pharma-FAAH inhibitors has faded
Now this study was just published focusing on natural FAAH inhibitors, below I have listed a few that they review...
CBD – Cannabis-derived, weak FAAH inhibitor, slows AEA reuptake
Kaempferol – Found in tea, apples, broccoli
Genistein – Sourced from soybeans
Biochanin A – From red clover
Macamides – Maca root
Curcumin – Turmeric
Eugenol – Clove oil
Myristicin – Nutmeg
Quercetin – Apples, onions, berries
The future of ECS modulation might not come from a lab… but from plants.
These natural compounds could be contributing to the entourage effect well beyond the cannabis plant itself.
Citation:
Nicoara, C., Fezza, F., & Maccarrone, M. (2025). FAAH Modulators from Natural Sources: A Collection of New Potential Drugs. Cells, 14(7), 551.
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