Jpn. J. Pharmacol. 76 (3), 313-316 (1998)


Bifemelane Protects Cultured Cortical Neurons Against N-Methyl- D-aspartate Receptor-Mediated Glutamate Cytotoxicity

Akinori Akaike, Takehiko Maeda, Toshiaki Kume and Satoshi Kaneko (#)



Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-01, Japan
(#) Present address: Yokohama Research Center, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Yokohama 227, Japan

Abstract: This study was performed to examine the neuroprotective action of bifemelane against glutamate cytotoxicity in cultured cortical neurons obtained from fetal rats. Cell viability was markedly reduced by a brief exposure to glutamate. Glutamate cytotoxicity was reduced by exposing cultures to bifemelane at concentrations of 1 -1 0 microM for 24 hr prior to glutamate exposure. In contrast, glutamate cytotoxicity was not affected by adding bifemelane to the glutamate-containing-medium without pretreatment. Bifemelane did not affect N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced currents, although the higher concentration (100 microM) of the drug reduced them. These findings suggest that bifemelane protects against glutamate neurotoxicity without affecting NMDA receptors.


Keywords: Cerebral cortex, Glutamate, Bifemelane


Copyright© The Japanese Pharmacological Society 1998

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