This proposal deals with the characterization of endogenous benzodiazepines and benzodiazepine-like molecules. The working hypothesis is that the brain has endogenous benzodiazepines that might be used as natural anxiolytic, antiepileptic and muscle relaxing substances. Recent evidence for the existence of these substances has been obtained in several laboratories where molecules with the benzodiazepine ring structure have been purified from animal brains.
The aim of this proposal is to determine whether these benzodiazepines are truly endogenous and are synthesized by the brain, or whether they are exogenous (either biosynthesized by microorganisms or plants or chemically synthesized by the pharmaceutical industry). This study might be relevant i) for environmental medicine, toxicology and nutrition, if the brain benzodiazepines had their origin either in the pharmaceutical industry or they were exogenous natural products made by microorganisms or plants and ii) for better understanding the ethiology of anxiety and some forms of epilepsy, if these or similar BZD-like substances were made by the brain and were used for the endogenous modulation of GABA neurotransmission.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS026289-02
Application #
3412021
Study Section
Neurological Sciences Subcommittee 1 (NLS)
Project Start
1988-07-01
Project End
1989-11-30
Budget Start
1989-07-01
Budget End
1989-11-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1989
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
State University New York Stony Brook
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
804878247
City
Stony Brook
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
11794