Arachidonoyl-2'-Fluoroethylamide

Arachidonoyl-2'-fluoroethylamide (2-fluoro AEA) is an analog of anandamide in which the alcohol of the ethanolamide group has been removed and replaced with a fluorine atom. This substitution adds considerably increased binding affinity for the CB1 receptor (Kis = 26.7 and 908 nM for CB1 and CB2, respectively). It also contributes additional selectivity, in that binding to CB2 is decreased relative to AEA.{7422} However, the in vivo activity of 2-fluoro AEA is enhanced much less than the binding affinity, because the analog remains a good substrate for FAAH and is rapidly hydrolyzed by this enzyme.