Gamma-guanidinobaclofen is a peripheral GABAB receptor agonist

In the guinea-pig isolated ileum, both baclofen and gamma-guanidinobaclofen elicited dose-dependent depression of cholinergic twitch contractions, sensitive to the GABAB receptor antagonists phaclofen and 2-hydroxysaclofen. gamma-Guanidinobaclofen was 5 times less potent than R,S-(+/-)-baclofen in depressing the contractions. The corresponding GABA analogs, guanidinoacetic acid, beta-guanidinopropionic acid and gamma-guanidinobutanoic acid were inactive. In rat neocortical slices maintained in Mg(2+)-free medium, baclofen (1-50 microM) reduced the amplitude and rate, whilst gamma-guanidinobaclofen (1 mM) has a very weak GABAB receptor agonist action, 100 times weaker than baclofen. gamma-Guanidinobaclofen is therefore a GABAB receptor agonist, more potent at peripheral than central GABAB receptors.