Melatonin Interaction with the Benzodiazepine-GABA Receptor Complex in the CNS

The major inhibitory neurotransmitter, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) acts on a postsynaptic receptor complex which includes GABA and benzodiazepine (BZ) recognition sites and a chloride ionophore (Turner and Whittle, 1983). Pharmacological, biochemical and neurophysiological studies suggest that BZ agonists, such as diazepam, exert their central effects by enhancing lowaffinity GABA binding (DeFeudis, 1983; Olsen and Venter, 1986).