PMID: 8613971Apr 1, 1996Paper

Behavioral and biochemical characterization of benzodiazepine receptor partial agonists in pigeons

The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
Jeffrey M WitkinJ E Barrett

Abstract

The ability of benzodiazepine receptor partial agonists to exhibit full efficacy in preclinical anxiolytic tests, in conjunction with initial clinical results, has suggested the possibility of a reduced clinical side-effect profile compared to benzodiazepine receptor full agonists like diazepam. Because punished behavior of pigeons has been useful in detecting effects of novel anxiolytic drugs, effects of imidazobenzodiazepine and beta-carboline benzodiazepine receptor partial agonists and some related compounds were evaluated in this species. The abilities of these compounds to substitute for the discriminative stimulus effects of the full agonists midazolam also was determined. Intrinsic efficacy was assessed by the degree to which gamma-aminobutyric acid increased ligand potency to displace [(3)H]Ro15-1788 (flumazinil) from membranes of pigeon cerebrum, and ranged from full agonist-like efficacy (Ro 19-5470; 7-(3-cyclopropyl-1,2,4-oxodiazol-5-yl)-5,6-dihydro-5-methyl-4H- imidazo[1,5a]-thieno[3,2-f]diazin-4-one) to minimal gamma-aminobutyric acid potentiations close to that of the antagonist flumazenil (abecarnil and Ro 41-7812; 7-chloro-4,5-dihydro-3-(3-hydroxy-1-propynyl)-5-methyl-6H-imidazo[1,5-a] -[1,4 ]benzodiazepine-6-o...Continue Reading

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