78755-81-4

78755-81-4 Biological Activity

Description

Flumazenil is a competitive GABAA receptor antagonist, used in the treatment of benzodiazepine overdoses.

Related Catalog

Signaling Pathways >> Membrane Transporter/Ion Channel >> GABA Receptor

Signaling Pathways >> Neuronal Signaling >> GABA Receptor

Research Areas >> Neurological Disease

In Vivo

Flumazenil interacts at the central benzodiazepine receptor to antagonize or reverse the behavioral, neurologic, and electrophysiologic effects of benzodiazepine agonists and inverse agonists. Flumazenil is of some benefit in hepatic encephalopathy, but until well-designed clinical trials are conducted, hepatic encephalopathy must be considered an investigational indication for flumazenil. Flumazenil has been shown to reverse sedation caused by intoxication with benzodiazepines alone or benzodiazepines in combination with other agents, but it should not be used when cyclic antidepressant intoxication is suspected[1]. Flumazenil (1 mg/kg) induces a strong anxiolytic effect in BALB/c mice tested in the elevated plus maze and light/dark test[2]. Flumazenil (10 mg/kg) effectively prevents the reduction produced by allopregnanolone in rats[3]. Flumazenil (5-20 mg/kg) antagonizes the anticonvulsant and adverse effects of diazepam but not GYKI 52466 in mice. Flumazenil slightly reduces the anticonvulsant activity of NBQX in the MES model but not in the PTZ test[4]. Flumazenil (3.0 mg/kg) blocks the changes withdrawal from chronic ethanol treatment, which leads to a decrease in open arm time and percent open arm entries[5].

Animal Admin

Flumazenil is administered intraperitoneally in a volume of 10 mL/kg body weight 20 min before experimental testing. Two polyvinylchloride boxes (20×20×14 cm) covered with Plexiglas are connected by an opaque plastic tunnel (5×7×10 cm). One of these boxes is darkened. A light from a 100-W desk lamp 40 cm above the other box provided the only room illumination. This light level (300 lux) is chosen in order to avoid strain differences to be detected on time in the lit box (a measure of anxiety behaviour) in control animals. Indeed, in previous experiments, the BALB/c mice differ from C57BL/6 only in the high light condition. The subjects are individually tested in 5-min sessions between 1400 and 1700 hours. Mice are placed in the lit box to start the test session. The time spent in the lit box and the number of transitions from the dark box to the lit one are recorded after the first entry in the tunnel.

References

[1]. Hoffman EJ, et al. Flumazenil: a benzodiazepine antagonist. Clin Pharm. 1993 Sep;12(9):641-56; quiz 699-701.

[2]. Belzung C, et al. Flumazenil induces benzodiazepine partial agonist-like effects in BALB/c but not C57BL/6 mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2000 Jan;148(1):24-32.

[3]. Fernandez-Guasti A, et al. Flumazenil blocks the anxiolytic action of allopregnanolone. Eur J Pharmacol. 1995 Jul 25;281(1):113-5.

[4]. Loscher W, et al. Effects of the non-NMDA antagonists NBQX and the 2,3-benzodiazepine GYKI 52466 on different seizure types in mice: comparison with diazepam and interactions with flumazenil. Br J Pharmacol. 1994 Dec;113(4):1349-57.

[5]. Moy SS, et al. Flumazenil blockade of anxiety following ethanol withdrawal in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1997 Jun;131(4):354-60.

78755-81-4 Chemical & Physical Properties

Melting point 

201-203°C

Boiling point

528.0±50.0 °C at 760 mmHg

Density

1.4±0.1 g/cm3

Molecular Formula

C15H14FN3O3

Molecular Weight

303.288

Flash Point

PSA

64.43000

LogP

0.67

Exact Mass

303.101929

Appearance of Characters

solid | white

Vapour Pressure

0.0±1.4 mmHg at 25°C

Index of Refraction

1.643

Storage condition

2-8°C

Water Solubility

128 mg/L