Cannabis has shown promise in treating various neurological
disorders,
including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). AD is a devastating neurodegenerative
disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Current treatments
for AD are limited and are not very effective. This study investigated
the enzyme–ligand relationship between nine active components
of cannabis and human acetylcholinesterase (HuAChE) enzyme, which
is significant in AD. Specifically, computational methods such as
quantum mechanics, molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and free
energy calculations were used to identify the cannabis phytochemicals
with the highest HuAChE affinity and to understand the specific binding
mechanisms involved. Our results showed that cannabichromene and cannabigerol
were the cannabis phytochemicals with the highest affinity for HuAChE,
with cannabichromene exhibiting the greatest binding energy. However,
both substances showed lower affinity than that of the pharmaceutical
drug donepezil. This study suggests that cannabichromene has a specific
affinity for the peripheral anionic site (PAS) and acyl-binding pocket
(ABP), while cannabigerol predominantly binds to PAS. Also, it was
found that cannabichromene has a specific affinity for PAS and ABP,
while cannabigerol predominantly binds to PAS. Our findings suggest
that cannabichromene and cannabigerol are potential therapeutic agents,
but further research is needed to validate their effectiveness. The
specific binding mechanisms identified may also provide helpful information
for the design of more effective cannabis-based drugs. Overall, this
study provides valuable insights into the potential of cannabis-based
drugs for treating neurological diseases.