2--hydroxy-5-9-dimethyl-2-allyl-6-7-benzomorphan and dimemorfan

Our previous study reported that an antitussive drug, dimemorfan, attenuates cholinergic dysfunction-induced amnesia in mice and acts like a sigma1 receptor agonist. This study further showed that dimemorfan (30 microM), like the putative sigma1 receptor agonist (+)-SKF-10047 (10 microM), significantly enhanced 25 mM KCl-evoked [3H]acetylcholine release from rat hippocampal but not striatal slices, which was antagonized by a sigma1 receptor antagonist haloperidol (0.3 microM).

Topics: 2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine; Acetylcholine; Animals; Antipsychotic Agents; Atropine; Carbachol; Cholinergic Agonists; Dopamine Agonists; Dopamine Antagonists; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Interactions; Haloperidol; Hippocampus; In Vitro Techniques; Male; Morphinans; Muscarinic Antagonists; Phenazocine; Potassium Chloride; Rats; Tritium

(1) Dimemorfan, an antitussive for more than 25 years, has previously been reported to be a relative high-affinity ligand at sigma-1 (sigma(1)) receptor with the K(i) value of 151 nM. (2) To test whether dimemorfan has anti-amnesic effects similar to a sigma(1) receptor agonist, this study examined its effects on scopolamine- and beta-amyloid peptide-(25-35)-induced amnesia in mice. (3) Dimemorfan (10-40 mg kg(-1), i.p.) administered 30 min before the training trial, immediately after the training trial, or 30 min before the retention test significantly improved scopolamine (1 mg kg(-1), i.p.)- or beta-amyloid peptide-(25-35) (3 nmol mouse(-1), i.c.v.)-induced amnesia in a step-through passive avoidance test. Dimemorfan (5-40 mg kg(-1), i.p.) pretreatment also attenuated scopolamine (8 mg kg(-1), i.p.)-induced amnesia in a water-maze test. And, these anti-amnesic effects of dimemorfan, like the putative sigma(1) receptor agonist (+)-N-allylnormetazocine ((+)-SKF-10047), were antagonized by a sigma receptor antagonist haloperidol (0.25 mg kg(-1), i.p.). (4) These results indicated that dimemorfan has anti-amnesic effects and acts like a sigma(1) receptor agonist.

Topics: Amnesia; Amyloid beta-Peptides; Animals; Avoidance Learning; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Morphinans; Peptide Fragments; Phenazocine; Receptors, sigma; Scopolamine