Anandamide is also a lipid mediator that functions as an endogenous ligand (a protein that binds to a recptor) by attaching itself to the body’s CB1 receptors, the primary molecular target that’s responsible for the pharmacological effects of THC. Anandamide was discovered in the early ‘90s by Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, who was known for his groundbreaking research and discovery of delta-9-THC while trying to figure out why our bodies contained cannabinoid receptors that are capable of binding with external cannabinoids such as CBD and THC.