BIFEMELANE PROTECTS CULTURED CORTICAL-NEURONS AGAINST N-METHYL-D-ASPARTATE RECEPTOR-MEDIATED GLUTAMATE CYTOTOXICITY

This study was performed to examine the neuroprotective action of bife melane against glutamate cytotoxicity in cultured cortical neurons obt ained from fetal rats. Cell viability was markedly reduced by a brief exposure to glutamate. Glutamate cytotoxicity was reduced by exposing cultures to bifemelane at concentrations of 1-10 mu M for 24 hr prior to glutamate exposure. In contrast, glutamate cytotoxicity was not aff ected by adding bifemelane to the glutamate-containing-medium without pretreatment. Bifemelane did not affect N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-in duced currents, although the higher concentration (100 mu M) of the dr ug reduced them. These findings suggest that bifemelane protects again st glutamate neurotoxicity without affecting NMDA receptors.