FAAH

FAAH (Fatty acid amide hydrolase) is a membrane-bound protein belonging to serine hydrolase family of enzymes.FAAH is responsible for the hydrolysis of a number of important endogenous fatty acid amides, including the endogenous cannabimimetic agent anandamide (AEA), the sleep-inducing compound oleamide, and the putative anti-inflammatory agent palmitoylethanolamide (PEA). FAAH plays a significant role in termination of signalling of a class of bioactive lipids called fatty acid amides (FAAs) both in the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral tissues.

FAAH belongs to the amidase signature (AS) superfamily and is widely distributed in multicellular eukaryotes. FAAH has a key role in the control of the cannabinoid signaling, through the hydrolysis of the endocannabinoids anandamide and in some tissues 2-arachidonoylglycerol.