In the neonatal rat NMDA excitotoxicity model in vivo, CNS-5161 (CNS 5161) protects against the necrotic effects of exogenous N-methyl-D-aspartate with an ED80 of 4 mg/kg by the intraperitoneal (i.p.) route. CNS-5161 also shows a 91% inhibition of audiogenic seizures in DBA/2 mice at 4 mg/kg i.p., and has a neuroprotective effect following hypoxix/ischaemic brain injury in neonatal rats.