Aims

To support the free and open dissemination of research findings and information on alcoholism and alcohol-related problems. To encourage open access to peer-reviewed articles free for all to view.

For full versions of posted research articles readers are encouraged to email requests for "electronic reprints" (text file, PDF files, FAX copies) to the corresponding or lead author, who is highlighted in the posting.

___________________________________________

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Physiology and pharmacology of alcohol: the imidazobenzodiazepine alcohol antagonist site on subtypes of GABAA receptors as an opportunity for drug development?
Br J Pharmacol. 2008 May; 154(2): 288–298.

We recently showed that low-dose alcohol enhancement on highly alcohol-sensitive GABAAR subtypes is antagonized by Ro15-4513 in an apparently competitive manner, providing a molecular explanation for behavioural Ro15-4513 alcohol antagonism. The identification of a Ro15-4513/EtOH binding site on unique GABAAR subtypes opens the possibility to characterize this alcohol site(s) and screen for compounds that modulate the function of EtOH/Ro15-4513-sensitive GABAARs.

The utility of such drugs might range from novel alcohol antagonists that might be useful in the emergency room, to drugs for the treatment of alcoholism, as well as alcohol-mimetic drugs to harness acute positive effects of alcohol.

Read Full Article (PDF)

___________________________________________________
at