title: Potentiation of gamma-aminobutyric acid-mediated chloride flux by pentobarbital and diazepam but not ethanol.
abstract: The influx of 36Cl- into cerebral cortical and cerebellar microsacs from ICR mice and Sprague-Dawley rats was studied in incubations lasting 3 s, 500 ms, or 21 ms. In the 3-s assay, 10-40 mM ethanol did not affect either basal or gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated Cl- flux, at any GABA concentration tested. Only at a concentration of 600 mM did ethanol potentiate Cl- flux in both mouse and rat preparations. Ethanol (20 mM) also did not affect the significant potentiation of GABA-mediated flux produced by 50 microM pentobarbital or 2 microM diazepam in ICR mouse microsacs. In 21- and 500-ms incubations (quench-flow method), 50 microM pentobarbital significantly potentiated GABA-mediated Cl- flux in rat cortical microsacs, but 10-50 mM ethanol did not. These studies suggest that some as yet unrecognized factor is essential for ethanol enhancement of GABA-mediated Cl- flux, as reported by others in brain homogenates and in tissue culture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Mihic
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kalant
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002712:Chlorides / Q000378:metabolism*; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004357:Drug Synergism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D000431:Ethanol; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D010424:Pentobarbital; D003975:Diazepam