An excitatory amino acid antagonist; decreases the amplitude of EPSPs in electrically stimulated rat hippocampal slices at 200 mM; subdural administration inhibits NMDA-, kainate-, or quisqualate-induced paw biting, indicating antinociceptive activity, in mice (EC50s = 63, 9.5, and 31 µM, respectively); reduces sound-induced wild running and inhibits the clonic and tonic phases of sound-induced seizures in DBA/2 mice (ED50s = 0.058, 0.046, and 0.054 µmol, i.c.v., respectively)