Bifemelane Protects Cultured Cortical Neurons Against N-Methyl-D-aspartate Receptor-Mediated Glutamate Cytotoxicity

This study was performed to examine the neuroprotective action of bifemelane against glutamate cytotoxicity in cultured cortical neurons obtained 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 microM for 24 hr prior to glutamate exposure. In contrast, glutamate cytotoxicity was not affected by adding bifemelane to the glutamate-containing-medium without pretreatment. Bifemelane did not affect N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced currents, although the higher concentration (100 microM) of the drug reduced them. These findings suggest that bifemelane protects against glutamate neurotoxicity without affecting NMDA receptors.