Enhancing Neurosteroid Synthesis – Relationship to the Pharmacology of Translocator Protein (18 kDa) (TSPO) Ligands and Benzodiazepines

Abstract

Etifoxine turned out to be the most potent enhancer of neurosteroidogenesis, although its binding affinity to TSPO was lowest. These results indicate that the efficacy of TSPO ligands to stimulate neurosteroid synthesis, thereby leading to anxiolytic effects cannot be concluded from their binding affinity to TSPO.