3-amino-1-4-dimethyl-5h-pyrido(4-3-b)indole and Seizures

The amino-gamma-carbolines 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole and 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole were demonstrated to be potent convulsants. Administered i.p. in rats, these compounds penetrated the blood-brain barrier rapidly and appeared in the cerebrospinal fluid. When administered i.c.v., they induced convulsions with short onset latencies, suggesting that these compounds themselves have convulsant activities. In in vitro experiments using the whole cell clamp method, they suppressed gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-induced Cl- current isolated on the dissociated mouse sensory neurons in dose-dependent manners through their actions as antagonists at GABAA receptors. The relative potency of the suppressive effects on GABA-induced Cl- current was compatible with that of the convulsant activities in mice. Furthermore, Ro15-1788 did not affect their convulsant activities. These results suggested that the amino-gamma-carbolines induced convulsions through their actions as antagonists at GABAA receptors and not through their actions as inverse agonists or antagonists at benzodiazepine receptors. Structure-activity relationships indicated that the 3-amino-group is important for the activities of amino-gamma-carbolines as GABAA receptor antagonists.

Topics: Animals; Carbolines; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Electrophysiology; GABA-A Receptor Antagonists; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Injections, Intraventricular; Male; Mice; Mutagens; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Seizures; Structure-Activity Relationship

The effect of several pyrolysate mutagens on the benzodiazepine and GABA receptors was investigated. Of amino-gamma-carbolines, Trp-P-1 antagonized the suppressive effect of diazepam on the pentylenetetrazol-induced convulsions and death, whereas Trp-P-2 by itself precipitated seizures and death in male mice. Both Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 inhibited the specific binding of [3H]diazepam and [3H]muscimol in rat brain membranes mainly by increasing Kd, indicating that these gamma-carbolines bind on benzodiazepine and GABA receptors. IC50S of Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 on specific [3H]flunitrazepam binding were not changed by addition of GABA. The Hill coefficient of Trp-P-1 for displacing [3H]diazepam binding was about unity whereas that of Trp-P-2 was less than unity. These results suggest that Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 act as active antagonists or inverse agonists at benzodiazepine receptors. The convulsant effect of the gamma-carbolines may be mediated by an action on the central benzodiazepine receptors; however, the role of the effect on GABA receptors is not clear.

Topics: Animals; Binding, Competitive; Carbolines; Chlorides; Diazepam; Flunitrazepam; Harmine; Indoles; Ion Channels; Kinetics; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Muscimol; Mutagens; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Receptors, Cell Surface; Receptors, GABA-A; Seizures