Differences in intrinsic efficacy of benzodiazepines are reflected in their concentration-EEG effect relationship.

1. The relevance of EEG effect parameters as a measure of the central nervous system effects of benzodiazepines was evaluated. The concentration-EEG effect relationships of the benzodiazepine agonist midazolam, partial agonist bretazenil, antagonist flumazenil and inverse agonist Ro 19-4603 were quantified and compared with the intrinsic efficacy and affinity of these compounds at the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-benzodiazepine receptor complex. 2. The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the compounds were determined after a single intravenous bolus administration of 5 mg kg-1 midazolam, 2.5 mg kg-1 bretazenil, 10 mg kg-1 flumazenil or 2.5 mg kg-1 Ro 19-4603 to male Wistar derived rats. In a separate experiment the distribution between blood, cerebrospinal fluid and brain concentrations of these compounds was determined. A sensitive assay was developed to measure bretazenil and Ro 19-4603 concentrations in small samples of biological fluids. 3. The benzodiazepine-induced changes in amplitudes in the 11.5-30 Hz frequency band, as determined by aperiodic analysis, was used as EEG effect measure. Concentration-EEG effect relationships were derived by a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling procedure and in the case of midazolam, bretazenil and Ro 19-4603 successfully quantified by the sigmoidal Emax model. Large differences in maximal effect of midazolam (Emax = 73 +/- 2 microVs-1), bretazenil (Emax = 19 +/- 1 microVs-1) and Ro 19-4603 (Emax = -6.5 +/- 0.4 microVs-1) were observed, reflecting their differences in intrinsic efficacy. A close correlation was found between the EC50 values based on free drug concentration and receptor affinity as determined by displacement of [3H]-flumazenil in a washed brain homogenate at 37 degrees C. In the concentration range of receptor saturation flumazenil did not produce any changes in the EEG effect measure.4. The study demonstrated that the change in amplitudes in the 11.5-30 Hz frequency band of the EEG is a relevant measure of the pharmacological effect intensity of benzodiazepines, because it seems to reflect their affinity and intrinsic efficacy at the central GABA-benzodiazepine receptor complex.