JWH-007
JWH-007 is an analgesic chemical from the naphthoylindole family, which acts as a cannabinoid agonist at both the CB1 and CB2 receptors. It was the most active of the first group of N-alkyl naphoylindoles discovered by the team led by John W Huffman, several years after the family was initially described with the discovery of the N-morpholinylethyl compounds pravadoline (WIN 48,098), WIN 55,225 (JWH-200) and WIN 55,212-2 by the Sterling Winthrop group. Several other N-alkyl substituents were found to be active by Huffman's team including the n-butyl, n-hexyl, 2-heptyl and cyclohexylethyl groups, but it was subsequently determined that the 2-methyl group on the indole ring is not required for CB1 binding, and tends to increase affinity for CB2 instead. Consequently the 2-desmethyl derivative of JWH-007, JWH-018 has slightly higher binding affinity for CB1, with an optimum binding of 9.00nM at CB1 and 2.94nM at CB2, and JWH-007 displayed optimum binding of 9.50nM at CB1 and 2.94nM at CB2.
Law
Sweden: JWH-007 was banned in Sweden on 1 October 2010 as a hazardous good harmful to health, after being identified as an ingredient in "herbal" synthetic cannabis products. Poland: JWH-007 is illegal in Poland since 08.06.2010 on the basis of 'Ustawa z dnia 15 kwietnia 2011 r. o zmianie ustawy o przeciwdziałaniu narkomanii' published in Dz.U. 2011 nr 105 poz. 614
