Involvement of GABAA Receptors in the Neuroprotective Effect of Theanine on Focal Cerebral Ischemia in Mice

Involvement of GABAA Receptors in the Neuroprotective Effect of Theanine on Focal Cerebral Ischemia in Mice

We investigated the involvement of γ-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptors in the neuroprotective effect of γ-glutamylethylamide (theanine), a component of Japanese green tea, following a 4-h middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion in mice. Theanine (1 mg/kg) reduced the size of the cerebral infarct a...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nobuaki Egashira, Kazuhide Hayakawa, Megumi Osajima, Kenichi Mishima, Katsunori Iwasaki, Ryozo Oishi, Michihiro Fujiwara
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2007-01-01
Series:Journal of Pharmacological Sciences
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1347861319342082
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Summary:We investigated the involvement of γ-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptors in the neuroprotective effect of γ-glutamylethylamide (theanine), a component of Japanese green tea, following a 4-h middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion in mice. Theanine (1 mg/kg) reduced the size of the cerebral infarct and alterations of NeuN, GFAP, and Iba 1 expression levels at 24 h after MCA occlusion. This neuroprotective effect of theanine was prevented by bicuculline (GABAA-receptor antagonist, 10 mg/kg) but not 3-mercaptopropionic acid (glutamate decarboxylase inhibitor). These results suggest that the neuroprotective effect of theanine is mediated, at least in part, by GABAA receptors. Keywords:: theanine, focal cerebral ischemia, γ-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptor
ISSN:1347-8613

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