Anticonvulsant activity of deaminated analogues of glutamic acid diethyl ester (GDEE)

GDEE, a specific but low-potency antagonist of the quisqualate or 'Type 2' excitatory amino acid receptor, blocks seizures induced by homocysteine and quisqualic acid. Deaminated analogues of GDEE were examined for anticonvulsant activity in mice, for the purpose of determining the structural properties of GDEE required for anticonvulsant activity. The deaminated derivative of GDEE, diethyl glutarate (5 carbon chain) inhibited homocysteine thiolactone (HTL)-induced seizures with an ED50 of 533 mg/kg. A similar compound with carbon chain length increased by two (diethyl pimelate; 7 carbons) was less effective. Decreases or further increases in carbon chain length resulted in a nearly complete loss of activity. Dimethyl glutarate (5 carbons) and dimethyl adipate (6 carbons) were similar to diethyl glutarate in potency, blocking HTL-induced seizures with ED50s of about 625 and 540 mg/kg, respectively. Diethyl ethylmalonate, diethyl maleate, and diethyl fumarate were much less effective. Diethyl glutarate, but not diethyl succinate (4 carbons), blocked seizures induced by intracerebral quisqualic acid. None of the agents tested blocked pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures. Thus a number of deaminated structural variants of GDEE have anticonvulsant activity equal to that of GDEE. The amino group of GDEE appears therefore to be irrelevant for its anticonvulsant effect.