Presence of two benzodiazepine binding sites in the rat hippocampus

Characteristics of receptor binding of diazepam and flunitrazepam in three brain areas were compared. It was found that in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum the number of sites was similar for both ligands and that the affinity of diazepam was four times lower than the affinity of flunitrazepam. In contrast, when binding in the hippocampus was analyzed (assuming the presence of homogeneous binding sites), it was found that the number of binding sites was higher and that the affinity was 17 times lower for diazepam than for flunitrazepam. This difference is due to the presence of two diazepam binding sites in this brain area, as demonstrated by a Scatchard analysis.