6-bromo-3--nitroflavone and Seizures

The present experiments compared the central BZ-omega binding characteristics and pharmacological profiles of two synthetic flavonoids (6-bromoflavone and 6-bromo-3'-nitroflavone) with those of the benzodiazepine (BZ) diazepam. In vitro experiments showed that while diazepam displaced [3H]flumazenil binding to the GABA(A) receptor in membranes from rat cerebellum and spinal cord, two brain areas enriched in the BZ-omega1 and BZ-omega2 receptor subtypes, with nearly equivalent half maximally effective concentrations, 6-bromo-3'-nitroflavone was somewhat more potent in displacing [3H]flumazenil binding to membranes from rat cerebellum (IC50 = 31 nM) than from spinal cord (IC50 = 120 nM), indicating selectivity for the BZ-omega1 receptor subtype. 6-Bromoflavone displayed weak (IC50 = 970 nM) affinity for the BZ-omega1 and no affinity for the BZ-omega2 (IC50 > 1000 nM) receptor subtypes. Diazepam, but not the synthetic flavonoids increased the latency to clonic seizures produced by isoniazid, thereby indicating that neither 6-bromoflavone nor 6-bromo-3'-nitroflavone display detectable intrinsic activity at GABA(A) receptors in vivo. Results from two conflict tests in rats showed that 6-bromoflavone (3-10 mg/kg) and 6-bromo-3'-nitroflavone (0.3-1 mg/kg) elicited anxiolytic-like activity in the punished drinking test, while both drugs were inactive in the punished lever pressing test. The positive effects displayed by the synthetic flavonoids in the punished drinking procedure were smaller than that of diazepam and were not antagonized by the BZ receptor antagonist flumazenil. In two models of exploratory activity, 6-bromoflavone (3-30 mg/kg) and 6-bromo-3'-nitroflavone (0.3-1 mg/kg) produced anxiolytic-like effects in the rat elevated plus-maze test, whereas both compounds failed to modify the behavior of mice in the light/dark test over a wide dose-range. The effects in the elevated plus-maze were antagonized by flumazenil. In the mouse defense test battery, where mice were confronted with a natural threat (a rat), 6-bromoflavone and 6-bromo-3'-nitroflavone failed to decrease flight reactions after the rat was introduced into the test area and risk assessment behavior displayed when subjects were constrained in a straight alley, and only weakly affected risk assessment of mice chased by the rat and defensive biting upon forced contact with the threat stimulus. In a drug discrimination experiment 6-bromoflavone and 6-bromo-3'-nitroflavone up to 30 and 3 mg/kg,

Topics: Animals; Anti-Anxiety Agents; Avoidance Learning; Diazepam; Discrimination Learning; Escape Reaction; Flavonoids; Isoniazid; Light; Male; Maze Learning; Motor Activity; Punishment; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, GABA-A; Risk Assessment; Seizures

6-Bromo-3'-nitroflavone is a synthetic flavone derivative that selectively recognizes benzodiazepine receptors and has potent anxiolytic-like effects. Here, we describe in detail its pharmacological characterization. When i.p. injected in mice, 6-bromo-3'-nitroflavone (0.01-0.3 mg/kg) had an anxiolytic-like effect in the elevated plus-maze test. This effect was blocked by the specific benzodiazepine receptor antagonist, flumazenil. In addition, it exhibited anxiolytic-like actions when given orally (1 mg/kg). 6-Bromo-3'-nitroflavone did not exhibit myorelaxant effects (up to 30 mg/kg, i.p.). Unlike diazepam, this flavonoid produced no anterograde amnesia in a one-trial inhibitory avoidance learning. On the other hand, 6-bromo-3'-nitroflavone possessed mild anticonvulsant activity (0.1 mg/kg, i.p.) and provoked sedative-depressant actions only at doses 100-1000 times higher than those producing anxiolytic-like effects. 6-Bromo-3'-nitroflavone (0.1-1 mM) produced a lower potentiation of gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA)-stimulated 36Cl- influx (126-138%) in comparison to diazepam (0.1 mM: 166%) in cerebral cortical membrane vesicles. Taken together, these findings suggest that 6-bromo-3'-nitroflavone has anxiolytic-like action possibly behaving as a partial agonist of the benzodiazepine receptors.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Anxiety Agents; Avoidance Learning; Flavonoids; GABA-A Receptor Agonists; Male; Maze Learning; Mice; Motor Activity; Pentobarbital; Pentylenetetrazole; Psychomotor Performance; Seizures; Sleep