Synergism of NBQX with dopamine agonists in the 6-OHDA rat model of Parkinson's disease.

Abstract

Advance in understanding of the anatomy, physiology and pharmacology of basal ganglia organisation over the past decade revealed a functional relation between excitatory glutamatergic and the degenerated dopaminergic nigrostriatal transmitter systems which could serve as targets for pharmacological interventions in Parkinson's disease. The selective AMPA-antagonist NBQX is not effective in animal models of Parkinson's disease when given alone but ameliorates parkinsonian symptomatology and enhances the locomotor response of a threshold dose of L-DOPA. These synergistic effects are seen in the MPTP-treated (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) common marmoset and the rat with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions of the substantia nigra. Here we report that, in the latter model, such synergism of NBQX is also seen with the direct dopamine agonists lisuride and apomorphine, indicating the potential usefulness of AMPA antagonists for the symptomatic treatment of Parkinson's disease.

• Authors: P A Löschmann, M Kunow, H Wachtel
• Journal: Journal of neural transmission. Supplementum (J Neural Transm Suppl) Vol. 38 Pg. 55-64 ( 1992) ISSN: 0303-6995 [Print] Austria
• PMID: 1491248 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Quinoxalines
• 2,3-dioxo-6-nitro-7-sulfamoylbenzo(f)quinoxaline
• Oxidopamine
• 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine
• Lisuride
• Apomorphine

Topics

• 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (pharmacology)
• Animals
• Apomorphine (pharmacology)
• Drug Synergism
• Lisuride (pharmacology)
• Male
• Motor Activity (drug effects)
• Oxidopamine (administration & dosage, pharmacology)
• Parkinson Disease, Secondary (chemically induced, physiopathology)
• Quinoxalines (pharmacology)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Stereotaxic Techniques
• Substantia Nigra (drug effects, physiology)