Memantine is highly potent in protecting cortical cultures against excitotoxic cell death evoked by glutamate and N-methyl-D-aspartate.
The capacity of memantine to protect cultured cerebrocortical cells against N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)- and glutamate-induced cell death was examined. Excitotoxic cell death was evaluated by phase contrast microscopy and quantified by estimating the release of lactic dehydrogenase from damaged cells. Memantine showed a strong, long-lasting and concentration-dependent protective effect against the excitotoxic damage induced by glutamate and NMDA, with almost complete protection being attained at a memantine concentration of 0.1 mM. The present findings indicate that memantine has potential value as a drug against excitotoxic brain damage.
Erdö
S L
SL
Department of Anatomy, Georg-August-University, Göttingen, F.R.G.
Schäfer
M
M
D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D005973:Glutamine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D008559:Memantine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D051381:Rats
D005973:Glutamine; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D008559:Memantine