title: Enhancement of GABAergic transmission by zolpidem, an imidazopyridine with preferential affinity for type I benzodiazepine receptors.
abstract: The effect of zolpidem, an imidazopyridine derivative with high affinity at the type I benzodiazepine recognition site, on the function of the GABAA/ionophore receptor complex was studied in vitro. Zolpidem, mimicking the action of diazepam, increased [3H]GABA binding, enhanced muscimol-stimulated 36Cl- uptake and reduced [35S]TBPS binding in rat cortical membrane preparations. Zolpidem was less effective than diazepam on the above parameters. Zolpidem induced a lower increase of [3H]GABA binding (23 vs. 35%) and muscimol-stimulated 36Cl- uptake (22 vs. 40%) and a smaller decrease of [35S]TBPS binding (47 vs. 77%) than diazepam. The finding that zolpidem enhanced the function of GABAergic synapses with an efficacy qualitatively and quantitatively different from that of diazepam suggests that this compound is a partial agonist at the benzodiazepine recognition site. Thus, our results are consistent with the view that the biochemical and pharmacological profile of a benzodiazepine recognition site ligand reflects its efficacy to enhance GABAergic transmission. Whether the preferential affinity of zolpidem at the type I site is involved in its atypical biochemical and pharmacological profile remains to be clarified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Biology, University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biggio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Concas
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Corda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001643:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009118:Muscimol / Q000494:pharmacology; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects*; D000077334:Zolpidem; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001643:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D011725:Pyridines; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D009118:Muscimol; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; C037476:tert-butylbicyclophosphorothionate; D000077334:Zolpidem; D003975:Diazepam