Neuroactive steroids alphaxalone and CDNC24 are effective hypnotics and potentiators of GABA_A currents, but are not neurotoxic to the developing rat brain.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The most currently used general anaesthetics are potent potentiators of γ-aminobutyric acid A (GABA_A) receptors and are invariably neurotoxic during the early stages of brain development in preclinical animal models. As causality between GABA_A potentiation and anaesthetic-induced developmental neurotoxicity has not been established, the question remains whether GABAergic activity is crucial for promoting/enhancing neurotoxicity. Using the neurosteroid analogue, (3α,5α)-3-hydroxy-13,24-cyclo-18,21-dinorchol-22-en-24-ol (CDNC24), which potentiates recombinant GABA_A receptors, we examined whether this potentiation is the driving force in inducing neurotoxicity during development.

Methods

The neurotoxic potential of CDNC24 was examined

SUBMITTER: Tesic V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7222221 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature