Riluzole prevents anoxic injury in cultured cerebellar granule neurons.

Glutamate release has been reported to be involved in the neuronal death following ischemic or anoxic injury. Riluzole (2-amino-6-trifluoromethoxy-benzothiazole) is a putative inhibitor of glutamate release. We investigated the effect of this drug on anoxic injury in vitro. Cerebellar granule cells grown in culture were exposed to an anoxic atmosphere for 16-20 h, Riluzole (100 microM) was found to prevent the degeneration of these neurons induced by anoxia.