Main description:

Since the discovery some 15 years ago of benzodiazepine
modulatory sites associated with GABA A receptors, great
effort has gone into understanding their molecular
pharmacology and into developing new anxiolytic drugs that
interact selectively with them. Prominent in this research
has beenthe discovery that ~-carbolines, a different
chemical class from benzodiazepines, also act at these
receptors but that their effects are sometimes quite
different from those of the benzodiazepines.This book
documents the latest discoveries in the molecular
biology of the GABA A receptor and reveals how
an integration of the results of research inmolecular
biology, synthetic chemistry, biochemical and behavioral
pharmacology, and clinical pharmacology has paved the way
forthe development of ~-carbolines from substances inducing
anxiety and convulsions to a novel therapy for anxiety
states, achieving a behavioral selectivity through selective
actions at subtypes of receptors.

Contents:

Discovery of ?-Carboline Ligands for Benzodiazepine Receptors.- ?-Carboline-3-Carboxylic Acid Ethyl Ester: A Lead for New Psychotropic Drugs.- Molecular Biology of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Type A/Benzodiazepine Receptors.- Immunohistochemical Mapping of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Type A Receptor Alpha Subunits in Rat Central Nervous System.- Abecarnil is a Full Agonist at Some and a Partial Agonist at Other Recombinant Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Type A Receptor Subtypes.- Pharmacological Evidence for Full Agonist Activity of Abecarnil at Certain Receptors.- Abecarnil: A Novel Anxiolytic with Mixed Full Agonist/Partial Agonist Properties in Animal Models of Anxiety and Sedation.- Abecarnil Shows Reduced Tolerance Development and Dependence Potential in Comparison to Diazepam.- Behavioral Pharmacology of Abecarnil in Baboons: Reduced Dependence and Abuse Potential.- Abecarnil Used to Treat Benzodiazepine Withdrawal.- Abecarnil, A New ?-Carboline Anxiolytic: Preliminary Clinical Pharmacology.