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, 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 9.00 nM at CB1 and 2.94 nM at CB2, and JWH-007 displayed optimum binding of 9.50 nM at CB1 and 2.94 nM at CB2.
Another drug similarly named JHW-007 is a cocaine analog and atypical dopamine reuptake inhibitor, but is distinct from and not the same as this JWH-007.

Legal status

In the United States, all CB1 receptor agonists of the 3-indole class such as JWH-007 are Schedule I Controlled Substances.
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.
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
As of October 2015 JWH-007 is a controlled substance in China.