Nordihydroguaiaretic acid increases glutamate uptake in vitro and in vivo: therapeutic implications for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Synaptic accumulation of glutamate causes neuronal death in many neurodegenerative pathologies including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Drugs capable of increasing glutamate uptake could therefore be therapeutically effective. We screened in a cell-based assay a library of 1040 FDA-approved drugs and nutrients for compounds that could enhance glutamate uptake.