Riluzole delayed appearance of parkinsonian motor abnormalities in a chronic MPTP monkey model.
Preliminary studies have shown that riluzole, a Na+ channel blocker with antiglutamatergic activity, has neuroprotective efficacy in several models of acute dopaminergic neurodegeneration. A chronic 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) monkey model which comes closer to the slow evolution of Parkinson's disease has recently been developed in order to allow dynamic studies. The present results show that riluzole delayed the appearance of parkinsonian motor abnormalities in this dynamic model, using from 10.2 +/- 1.6 daily injections for the MPTP-treated monkeys (n = 4) to 16.5 +/- 2.0 daily injections for the MPTP + riluzole-treated monkeys (n = 4). These results strongly suggest that riluzole may be beneficial to slow down the rate of progression of Parkinson's disease.
Laboratoire de Neurophysiologie, CNRS UMR 5543, Université de Bordeaux II, France.
E
E
Bezard
J M
JM
Stutzmann
C
C
Imbert
T
T
Boraud
A
A
Boireau
C E
CE
Gross
D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015259:Dopamine Agents; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010302:Parkinson Disease, Secondary / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019782:Riluzole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D026941:Sodium Channel Blockers
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D015259:Dopamine Agents; D026941:Sodium Channel Blockers; D019782:Riluzole; D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine