title: Prevention of cocaine-induced convulsions and lethality in mice: effectiveness of targeting different sites on the NMDA receptor complex.
abstract: N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors appear to be involved in the behavioral toxic effects of cocaine. Therefore, different classes of NMDA receptor antagonists were compared for their ability to attenuate cocaine-induced convulsions and lethality in male, Swiss Webster mice. The mice were pre-treated (i.p.) with vehicle or an antagonist from one of the following classes: NMDA/glycine site antagonist (7-chlorokynurenic acid, ACEA-1021, ACEA-1031, ACEA-1328, DCQX, R(+)-HA-966), competitive antagonist (CPP, D-AP7), channel blocker (MK-801, memantine), or allosteric modulator (ifenprodil, CP-101,606, Co 101022, haloperidol). After a 15 min pre-treatment period, the mice were administered a convulsive (60 mg/kg, i.p.) or lethal (125 mg/kg, i.p.) dose of cocaine, equivalent to the calculated ED/LD97 values. Pre-treatment with competitive or NMDA/glycine site antagonists dose-dependently attenuated cocaine-induced convulsions and lethality (P<0.05). Pre-treatment with channel blockers or allosteric modulators of the NMDA receptor protected against cocaine-induced convulsions (P<0.05), but were ineffective or less effective than the competitive and glycine site antagonists in preventing death. The glutamate release inhibitor riluzole failed to prevent both the convulsions and lethality induced by cocaine. Significantly, post-treatment with NMDA/glycine site antagonists (ACEA-1021, ACEA-1031, ACEA-1328) after a cocaine overdose prevented death in a significant number of animals. The data suggest that NMDA receptors are involved in the pathophysiology of a cocaine overdose.
authors.affiliation: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, Dept. of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Oklahoma City 73190, USA.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Brackett
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pouw
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Blyden
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nour
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000009:adverse effects; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D003042:Cocaine