Abstract
The effect of flupirtine on the loss of retinal ganglion cells following transient elevation of intraocular pressure (experimental ischaemia) or NMDA-induced excitotoxicity was studied. Ischaemia (60 min) or intravitreal injection of NMDA (20 nmol) caused a decrease in Thy-1 mRNA and Thy-1 immunoreactivity which are associated with ganglion cells. Administration of flupirtine counteracted these changes. Moreover, flupirtine dose-dependently inhibited NMDA-induced 45 Ca 2+ influx into cultured cortical neurones and retinal pieces in vitro with maximal inhibition being observed at 200 μM. A similar concentration of flupirtine failed to inhibit kainate-stimulated calcium influx into cultured cortical neurones. In addition, flupirtine had no significant effect on [ 3 H ]nitrendipine or [ 3 H ]diltiazem binding to cortical membranes. The present studies are consistent with previous findings which suggested flupirtine to act as a NMDA antagonist by a mechanism that still remains to be clarified.
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