Biomedical subjects

R Netzer

Publications and source records attributed to R Netzer.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1994

Dextromethorphan: cellular effects reducing neuronal hyperactivity.

Dextromethorphan is a dextrorotary morphinan without affinity for opioid receptors, commonly used as an antitussive medication. During the past 5 years, interest in the compound and its demethylated derivative, dextrorphan, has been revived because additional neuroprotective and antiepileptic properties were found in in vitro studies, animal experiments, and a few clinical cases. Both morphinans are able to inhibit N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor channels and voltage-operated calcium and sodium channels with different potencies. The inhibition of the NMDA receptor is believed to be the predominant mechanism of action responsible for the anticonvulsant and neuroprotective properties of the compounds.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Dextromethorphan blocks N-methyl-D-aspartate-induced currents and voltage-operated inward currents in cultured cortical neurons.

The effect of dextromethorphan on several types of cation currents in cultured rat cortical neurons and PC12 cells was studied by using the whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique. The Ba2+ current through L- and N-type Ca2+ channels was blocked with similar potencies (52-71 microM) in both types of cells. The effect was not voltage-dependent, in contrast to that of amlodipine (a dihydropyridine). Dextromethorphan was able to block the Ba2+ current completely unlike amlodipine and omega-conotoxin (an N-type channel blocker) which produced only partial inhibition. The voltage-activated Na+ and Ca2+ channels in cortical neurons were inhibited by similar concentrations of dextromethorphan (IC50 approximately 80 microM). The morphinan was at least 100 times more potent (IC50 = 0.55 microM) as a blocker of the current induced by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) in cortical neurons. Currents induced by (RS)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid ((RS)-AMPA) or kainic acid were not significantly affected even at 1 mM. The results suggest that the neuroprotective effect of dextromethorphan, previously found to occur in a concentration range of 10-100 microM, may be due to a complete blockade of the NMDA receptor channel and a partial inhibition of voltage-dependent Ca2+ and Na+ channels.

3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethy↗

PubMed1990

Memantine reduces repetitive action potential firing in spinal cord nerve cell cultures.

(1) The anticonvulsant effects of memantine were examined and compared with those of baclofen in monolayer primary cultures of murine nerve cells using conventional intracellular recordings. (2) Memantine and baclofen (each 10-100 microM) decreased spontaneous synaptic activity when action potential frequencies exceeded 6 Hz. Neurons firing action potentials at frequencies below 6 Hz (about 90% of all impaled cells), however, were not affected by the drugs. (3) Memantine reduced the duration of strychnine-elicited bursts and the firing rate of action potentials within a burst. In contrast, baclofen lowered the frequency of the bursts without reducing intra-burst firing. The duration of the bursts was increased. (4) Memantine, but not baclofen, reduced the extent of sustained repetitive firing evoked by pulses of depolarizing current. (5) In the presence of memantine, the second of two electrically evoked action potentials increasingly failed to appear as the intervals between successive stimulating pulses were shortened. Such an effect was not seen when baclofen was applied. Thus, both antispastic agents, memantine and baclofen, reduce hyperactivity of spinal cord neurons in culture, although their mechanisms of action are different.

Action Potentials↗