N-(Adamant-2-yl)hexamethyleneimine hydrochloride (
hemantane) is a new potential antiparkinsonian
drug with a complex mechanism of action. The
drug exhibits the properties of a low-affinity blocker of the
ion channels of
NMDA receptors, increases the
dopamine content in striatum, and inhibits monoamine
oxidases (
MAO-B). This combination of properties suggests that
hemantane can also possess neuroprotector properties. In this context, the ability of
hemantane to prevent from the development of
MPTP neurotoxin action on the locomotor activity in mice and the EEG activity in rats has been studied. Preliminary single (and the more so, repeated over a period of 5 days) peroral administration of
hemantane in a dose of 10 mg/kg significantly reduced the manifestations of
MPTP-induced oligokinesia in C57BL/6 mice. Acute of subchronic (7-day) pretreatment with
hemantane prevented the development of EEG changes typical of
parkinsonism. The results of statistical EEG data processing showed that a systemic introduction of
MPTP (30 mg/kg) on the background of
hemantane pretreatment produced no reliable changes against control characteristics. Thus,
hemantane is capable of protecting experimental animals from
MPTP neurotoxicity.