title: Neuroprotection afforded by diazepam against oxygen/glucose deprivation-induced injury in rat cortical brain slices.
abstract: The aim of the present investigation was to assess neuroprotection exerted by diazepam (0.1-25 microM) in rat cortical brain slices subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation. Neuronal injury and neuroprotection were assessed by measuring the release of glutamate and lactate dehydrogenase and tissue water content. Results demonstrate that diazepam exerted neuroprotective effects according to a "U-shaped", hormetic-like, concentration-response curve, with an efficacy window of 0.5-5 microM concentration. Flumazenil (20 microM) fully antagonised neuroprotection afforded by 5 microM diazepam. In conclusion, the hormetic response of diazepam should be taken into consideration when designing experiments aimed at assessing diazepam neuroprotection against ischemia/reoxygenation injury.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Sezione di Farmacologia, Fisiologia e Tossicologia Università di Siena, viale A. Moro 2, lotto C, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valoti
authors.forename: Giampietro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sgaragli
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frosini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005442:Flumazenil / Q000494:pharmacology; D018757:GABA Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000172:deficiency; D002534:Hypoxia, Brain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018757:GABA Modulators; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D005442:Flumazenil; D005947:Glucose; D003975:Diazepam; D010100:Oxygen