title: The effect of benzodiazepines and beta-carbolines on GABA-stimulated chloride influx by membrane vesicles from the rat cerebral cortex.
abstract: Benzodiazepine agonists such as diazepam, flunitrazepam and clonazepam enhanced GABA (30 microM)-stimulated 36Cl- uptake in membrane vesicles from the rat cerebral cortex. The rank order of potencies was flunitrazepam greater than diazepam = clonazepam. beta-Carboline-3-carboxylate esters beta-CCM, beta-CCE and DMCM inhibited GABA-stimulated 36Cl- uptake. The rank order of inhibitory potencies was DMCM greater than beta-CCM greater than beta-CCE. The benzodiazepine antagonist Ro15-1788 antagonized the enhancement of flunitrazepam and the inhibition of DMCM on GABA-stimulated 36Cl- uptake in a competitive inhibitory manner. These results suggest that benzodiazepine receptors regulate GABA-stimulated 36Cl- uptake and there is a functional coupling between the GABA and benzodiazepine receptors, and chloride channels in membrane vesicles from the rat cerebral cortex.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D002243:Carbolines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002712:Chlorides / Q000502:physiology*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005442:Flumazenil / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000502:physiology; D013572:Synaptic Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D002243:Carbolines; D002712:Chlorides; D007473:Ion Channels; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D005442:Flumazenil; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid