European journal of pharmacology
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Abecarnil, a beta-carboline acting at benzodiazepine receptors, has been shown to have anxiolytic and anticonvulsant properties in a number of models. It has reduced muscle relaxant and incoordinating effects in comparison to diazepam. Given the wide clinical application of diazepam to prevent alcohol withdrawal seizures, a genetic animal model was employed to compare abecarnil with diazepam for its anti-withdrawal effects. ⋯ Similar results were seen in an experiment where withdrawal handling-induced convulsions were assessed after a single high-dose ethanol injection. Abecarnil and diazepam also reduced the smaller handling-induced convulsion scores seen in naive WSP mice. Single doses of abecarnil or diazepam did not lead to a rebound elevation of handling-induced convulsion scores suggestive of a withdrawal reaction.