Interaction of putative anxiolytic agents with central adenosine receptors.

The benzodiazepine anxiolytics flurazepam and diazepam and CL 218872, zopiclone and two beta-carboline ethyl carboxyl esters, compounds which are potent displacers of specific [3H]diazepam binding from rat brain membranes, have little or no activity in displacing [3H]2-chloroadenosine ([3H]2-CADO) from central A1-adenosine receptors. Conversely, the purine agonists, 1-N6-phenylisopropyladenosine, N6-cyclohexyladenosine, 2-chloroadenosine, and the adenosine antagonist 8-phenyltheophylline have no significant effect on [3H]diazepam binding. Etazolate (SQ 20009) and Avermectin B1a which enhance [3H]diazepam binding in vitro were also without significant effect on [3H]2-CADO binding. The lack of correlation of the activities of the compounds examined in the two binding assays is discussed in relation to the hypothesis that purine-like compounds may be involved in the molecular mechanisms related to anxiolytic action at the receptor level.