Neuroprotective effects of the beta-carboline abecarnil studied in cultured cortical neurons and organotypic retinal cultures.
Presently there is no neuroprotective pharmacological treatment of proven clinical safety and efficacy available. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the ss-carboline, abecarnil (Abe), which has already passed clinical phase III trials in patients with anxiety disorders, is neuroprotective in in vitro models of cerebral ischemia or excitotoxicity. Abe (100 nM) protected cultured c
