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In rat neocortical slices maintained in Mg2+-free Krebs medium, baclofen depressed the rate of spontaneous discharges in a concentration-dependent manner (EC50 = 4.5 microM). This depression was reversibly antagonised by 5-(S,R)-hydroxymethyl-5-methylmorpholinyl-2-(R,S)-acetic acid (Sch 54679) and 2-(R,S)-5-[spirocyclopentyl]-morpholinyl-acetic acid (Sch 51324) (respective pA2 values of 5.8+/-0.15 and 5.4+/-0.2). In electrically-stimulated slices preloaded with [3H]gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), Sch 54679 (EC50 = 3 microM) was 2.3 times more potent than Sch 51324 (EC50 = 7 microM) in increasing [3H]GABA release through antagonism of GABA(B) autoreceptors. These structurally novel analogues may be pharmacologically useful for elucidating GABA(B) receptor functions.

The pharmacological properties of (+)-(S)-5,5-dimethylmorpholinyl-2-acetic acid (Sch 50911) were evaluated on GABA(B) receptors in rat neocortical slices. The GABA(B) receptor agonist, baclofen, produced a concentration-dependent depression of the frequency of spontaneous discharges in slices maintained in Mg2+-free Krebs medium with an EC50 of 6 microM, reversibly antagonised by Sch 50911 (5, 10 and 25 microM) with an apparent pA2 of 6.0 +/- 0.1. The (-) enantiomer Sch 50910 (500 microM) and the racemic des-methyl analogue Sch 48588 (500 microM) were inactive. In slices preloaded with [3H]GABA, Sch 50911 antagonised GABA(B) autoreceptors, increasing the electrically-stimulated 3H overflow in a concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50 of 3 microM. The maximal effect (148 +/- 10.5%) was found at 10 microM, but at 50 microM the response was reduced to 67 +/- 19%. In contrast, evoked release was unaffected by Sch 50910 (100 microM) whilst Sch 48588 at 100 microM increased the overflow by 51.3 +/- 11.6%. In summary, Sch 50911 is a relatively potent antagonist of considerable potential in studies of GABA(B) receptor function.