JWH-250 or (1-pentyl-3-(2-methoxyphenylacetyl)indole) is an

analgesic An analgesic drug, also called simply an analgesic (American English), analgaesic (British English), pain reliever, or painkiller, is any member of the group of drugs used to achieve relief from pain (that is, analgesia or pain management). It ...

chemical from the

phenylacetylindole Phenylacetylindoles are a class of synthetic cannabinoids. In the United States, all CB1 receptor agonists of the 3-phenylacetylindole class are Schedule I Controlled Substance This is the list of Schedule I drugs as defined by the United State ...

family that acts as a

cannabinoid Cannabinoids () are several structural classes of compounds found in the cannabis plant primarily and most animal organisms (although insects lack such receptors) or as synthetic compounds. The most notable cannabinoid is the phytocannabinoid tet ...

agonist An agonist is a chemical that activates a receptor to produce a biological response. Receptors are cellular proteins whose activation causes the cell to modify what it is currently doing. In contrast, an antagonist blocks the action of the ago ...

at both the CB₁ and CB₂ receptors, with a ''K''_i of 11 nM at CB₁ and 33 nM at CB₂. Unlike many of the older JWH series compounds, this compound does not have a

naphthalene Naphthalene is an organic compound with formula . It is the simplest polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, and is a white crystalline solid with a characteristic odor that is detectable at concentrations as low as 0.08 ppm by mass. As an aromati ...

ring, instead occupying this position with a 2'-methoxy-phenylacetyl group, making JWH-250 a representative member of a new class of cannabinoid ligands. Other 2'-substituted analogues such as the methyl, chloro and bromo compounds are also active and somewhat more potent.

History

JWH-250 was discovered by, and named after the researcher

John W. Huffman John William Huffman (1932–2022) was a professor of organic chemistry at Clemson University who first synthesised novel cannabinoids. His research, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, was focused on making a drug to target endocanna ...

. He created JWH-250 and a number of other compounds to research the structure and function of the

endocannabinoid Cannabinoids () are several structural classes of compounds found in the cannabis plant primarily and most animal organisms (although insects lack such receptors) or as synthetic compounds. The most notable cannabinoid is the phytocannabinoid tet ...

system of

mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

s. Samples of JWH-250 were first identified in May 2009 by the German Federal Criminal Police, as an ingredient in new generation " herbal smoking blends" that had been released since the banning of the original ingredients (C8)-CP 47,497 and

JWH-018 JWH-018 (1-pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, NA-PIMO or AM-678) is an analgesic chemical from the naphthoylindole family that acts as a full agonist at both the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors, with some selectivity for CB2. It produces effects in ...

. An ELISA immunoassay technique for detecting JWH-250 in urine has been reported.

Legal status

Australia

JWH-250 is considered a Schedule 9 prohibited substance in Australia under the Poisons Standard (October 2015).Poisons Standard October 2015 https://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2015L01534 A Schedule 9 substance is a substance which may be abused or misused, the manufacture, possession, sale or use of which should be prohibited by law except when required for medical or scientific research, or for analytical, teaching or training purposes with approval of Commonwealth and/or State or Territory Health Authorities.

United States

In the United States, CB₁ receptor agonists of the 3-phenylacetylindole class such as JWH-250 are

Schedule I Controlled Substance This is the list of Schedule I drugs as defined by the United States Controlled Substances Act. 21 CFRbr>1308.11(CSA Sched I) with changes through (Oct 18, 2012). Retrieved September 6, 2013. The following findings are required for drugs to be pla ...

History

Legal status

Australia

United States

See also