Abstract
The enhancement of GABA-mediated synaptic transmission underlies the pharmacotherapy of various neurological diseases. GABAA receptors are thus targets for neuroactive drugs, including classical benzodiazepines, mediating their anxiolytic, hypnotic and anticonvulsant effects via the benzodiazepine site (BZS). Based on findings that low intrinsic efficacy and subtype selectivity can greatly improve the specificity of drugs targeting the BZS, recent research has identified possible drug leads with apparently little side effects. In particular, drug leads of natural sources have been identified as promising candidates. This review describes the advances in the design of effective therapeutics targeting the GABAA receptor, focusing on the more recent research on naturally occurring drug leads. This includes discussion on the isolation of neuroactive alkaloids and flavonoids from herbal medicines and their rational development based on structure-activity relationships studies. Interest in the development of effective therapeutics from natural sources is clear and awaits to be seen whether their medicinal potential can be fulfilled.
Keywords: gabaa receptor, benzodiazepine, alkaloids, flavonoids
Current Pharmaceutical Design
Title: Development of Effective Therapeutics Targeting the GABAA Receptor: Naturally Occurring Alternatives
Volume: 10 Issue: 9
Author(s): S. Y. Tsang and H. Xue
Affiliation:
- Department of Biochemistry, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay,Kowloon, Hong Kong.,Hong Kong
Keywords: gabaa receptor, benzodiazepine, alkaloids, flavonoids
Abstract: The enhancement of GABA-mediated synaptic transmission underlies the pharmacotherapy of various neurological diseases. GABAA receptors are thus targets for neuroactive drugs, including classical benzodiazepines, mediating their anxiolytic, hypnotic and anticonvulsant effects via the benzodiazepine site (BZS). Based on findings that low intrinsic efficacy and subtype selectivity can greatly improve the specificity of drugs targeting the BZS, recent research has identified possible drug leads with apparently little side effects. In particular, drug leads of natural sources have been identified as promising candidates. This review describes the advances in the design of effective therapeutics targeting the GABAA receptor, focusing on the more recent research on naturally occurring drug leads. This includes discussion on the isolation of neuroactive alkaloids and flavonoids from herbal medicines and their rational development based on structure-activity relationships studies. Interest in the development of effective therapeutics from natural sources is clear and awaits to be seen whether their medicinal potential can be fulfilled.
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Cite this article as:
Tsang Y. S. and Xue H., Development of Effective Therapeutics Targeting the GABAA Receptor: Naturally Occurring Alternatives, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2004; 10(9) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612043452767
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612043452767 |
Print ISSN 1381-6128 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4286 |

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