GTS-21, a nicotinic agonist, protects against neocortical neuronal cell loss induced by the nucleus basalis magnocellularis lesion in rats.
Effect of subchronically administered GTS-21 [3-(2,4-dimethoxybenzylidene)-anabaseine dihydrochloride], a selective nicotinic agonist, on neuronal cell loss caused by nucleus basalis magnocellularis (nBM) lesion was studied in rats. After 2 weeks of bilateral nBM excitotoxic lesion, GTS-21 was orally administered once daily for 20 weeks. Neuronal cell loss was observed in layers II-III of the parietal cortex in the lesioned control rats. GTS-21 significantly attenuated the neuron loss in these layers. These results suggest that GTS-21 exhibits a protective action against the neuronal cell death in the parietal cortex and may have a beneficial effect on neurodegenerative disorders such as an Alzheimer-type disease.
Nanri
M
M
Department of Pharmacology, Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokushima, Japan.
Kasahara
N
N
Yamamoto
J
J
Miyake
H
H
Watanabe
H
H
D000818:Animals; D001597:Benzylidene Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016923:Cell Death; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013377:Substantia Innominata / Q000503:physiopathology*
D001597:Benzylidene Compounds; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D011725:Pyridines; D009538:Nicotine; C088936:3-(2,4-dimethoxybenzylidene)anabaseine