Modulation of benzodiazepine receptor binding: insight into pharmacological efficacy.

The effects of GABA on the binding of analogues of benzodiazepines, triazolopyridazines, beta-carbolines and imidazodiazepines were examined in ligand/[3H] flunitrazepam competition experiments. GABA increased the potency of anxiolytics, like flunitrazepam, whereas the potency of benzodiazepine antagonists, like Ro15-1788, was largely insensitive to the influence of GABA. Several other agents including pyrazolopyridines, barbiturates and etomidate caused a chloride dependent enhancement of [3H] flunitrazepam binding but not an enhancement of [3H] propyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate binding.