title: The action of six antagonists of the excitatory amino acids on neurones of the rat spinal cord.
abstract: The differential susceptibility to blockade by six antagonists of the excitatory actions produced by a number of acidic amino acids has been determined. Four of these, DL-alpha-aminoadipate, 2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate, 2-amino-6-phosphonocaproate and gamma-D-glutamylglycine block the action of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) most effectively and those of L-glutamate, trans-1-amino-1,3-dicarboxycyclopentane (trans-ADCP) and kainate the least. Cis-2,3-piperidine dicarboxylate resembles the other four, save in that kainate excitations are also powerfully blocked. L-glutamate diethylester was most effective against L-glutamate and least against NMDA: kainate and trans-ADCP excitations were also relatively unaffected. The data support the hypothesis of the existence of at least three classes of amino acid receptor (NMDA-, L-glutamate- and kainate-excited), and the possibility of a fourth category activated by trans-ADCP must be considered.
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D005971:Glutamates / Q000494:pharmacology; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D005971:Glutamates; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D007608:Kainic Acid