N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist activity of alpha- and beta-sulfallorphans.

Resolved equatorial (alpha) and axial (beta) forms of S-allylmorphinans, alpha-sulfallorphan and beta-sulfallorphan, were tested for their ability to compete with the binding of phencyclidine and sigma receptor ligands to mouse brain membranes and to antagonize N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced convulsions in mice. alpha- and beta-sulfallorphans displayed distinct binding affinities for phencyclidine and sigma sites, inhibiting the binding of [3H]-(5R,10S)-(+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten++ +-5, 10-imine ([3H]MK-801) with Ki values of 2.32 and 0.13 microM and that of 3H-pentazocine with Ki values of 1.97 and 1.61 microM, respectively. Intracerebroventricular administration of these compounds in mice caused dose-dependent inhibitions of NMDA-induced convulsions, but did not affect convulsions induced by (R,S)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA), kainic acid and bicuculline. alpha- and beta-sulfallorphans blocked the convulsive activity of NMDA (1 nmol/mouse; intracerebroventricular) with ED50 values of 0.48 and 0.015 nmol/mouse, as compared with 0.55, 0.039 and 0.013 nmol/mouse for dextrorphan, MK-801 and (+/-)3-(2-carboxypiperazine-4yl)propyl-1-proprionic acid, respectively. The structurally related compound, dextrallorphan, significantly but less potently blocked NMDA-induced convulsions (ED60, 2.68 nmol/mouse). At the protective doses, alpha- and beta-sulfallorphans markedly reduced NMDA- and AMPA-induced mortality without inducing locomotion and falling behavior. These results indicate that alpha- and beta-sulfallorphans are potent and selective NMDA antagonists devoid of motor side effects at protective doses.