Gynecology & Obstetrics
Open Access

Abstract

Cannabinoids and the Urinary Bladder

Evangelia Bakali and Douglas G Tincello

The presence of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) in the urinary bladder has led to speculation that endocannabinoid-signalling is involved in the signal transduction pathways regulating bladder relaxation and may be involved in pathophysiological processes of the bladder. On the basis of this evidence, it was postulated that the binding of endocannabinoids to the cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) may result in relaxation of the urinary bladder during the filling phase. Dysregulation of the ECS in human bladder may be responsible for the aetiopathogenesis of Overactive Bladder Syndrome (OAB) and Detrusor Overactivity (DO).