NBQX (2,3-dioxo-6-nitro-7-sulfamoyl-benzo uinoxaline) is an

antagonist An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the chief foe of the protagonist. Etymology The English word antagonist comes from the Greek ἀνταγωνιστής – ''antagonistēs'', "opponent, competitor, villain, enemy, riv ...

of the

AMPA receptor The α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (also known as AMPA receptor, AMPAR, or quisqualate receptor) is an ionotropic receptor, ionotropic transmembrane receptor for glutamate (iGluR) that mediates fast synapse, synap ...

. NBQX blocks AMPA receptors in micromolar concentrations (~10–20 μM) and also blocks

kainate receptor Kainate receptors, or kainic acid receptors (KARs), are ionotropic receptors that respond to the neurotransmitter glutamate. They were first identified as a distinct receptor type through their selective activation by the agonist kainate, a drug ...

s. In experiments, it is used to counter

glutamate Glutamic acid (symbol Glu or E; the ionic form is known as glutamate) is an α-amino acid that is used by almost all living beings in the biosynthesis of proteins. It is a non-essential nutrient for humans, meaning that the human body can syn ...

excitotoxicity In excitotoxicity, nerve cells suffer damage or death when the levels of otherwise necessary and safe neurotransmitters such as glutamate become pathologically high, resulting in excessive stimulation of receptors. For example, when glutamate re ...

. NBQX was found to have anticonvulsant activity in rodent seizure models.Yamaguchi, S.; Donevan, S.D.; Rogawski, M.A. (1993). Anticonvulsant activity of AMPA/kainate antagonists: comparison of GYKI 52466 and NBOX in maximal electroshock and chemoconvulsant seizure models. ''Epilepsy Res.'' 15:179–184. As the disodium salt, NBQX is soluble in water at high concentrations (at least up to 100 mM).

References

AMPA receptor antagonists Kainate receptor antagonists Glycine receptor antagonists Sulfonamides Nitronaphthalenes Quinoxalines Lactams Quinones Nitrogen heterocycles {{biochem-stub

See also

References