title: Anti-convulsant effect of phthalazino-2,3b-phthalazine-5(14H),12(7h)-dione (L-5418). I. Behavioral effect.
abstract: Since it had been demonstrated that L5418 has an anti-convulsant effect with no relation to its anti-inflammatory properties, comparative studies were carried out with the use of currently available anti-convulsant agents as controls. L-5418 inhibited tonic convulsions induced by maximal electroshock and strychinine in mice and prevented animals from the death sequence. L-5418 had an inhibitory effect on tonic convulsions induced by pentetrazol and N-sulfamoyl-hexahydroazepine (SaH 41-178), but not on clonic convulsions by those compounds at even a high dosage or on clonic convulsions induced by picrotoxin and bemegride. Trimethadione produced an inhibitory effect on both tonic and clonic convulsions. The hypnotic agents, phenobarbital and glutethimide inhibited both convulsions, but a higher dose was required in the case of clonic convulsions. Anti-convulsant agents are classified into three different groups according to their mode of action. L-5418 had the same mode of action as seen with diphenylhydantoin and carbamazepine. As L-5418 did not inhibit tremor induced by tremorine, an anti-Parkinson effect was ruled out. When L-5418 was administered alone, the animals did not lose the righting reflex nor show muscle relaxation observed in inclined screen and rotarod tests. Moreover, the compound had no influence on the aggressive behavior induced by electrical stimulation or olfactory bulb ablation. L-5418 possesses a selective anti-convulsant effect, yet has no sedative, tranquilizing or disturbing effects on movement such as equilibrium disturbance or muscle relaxation. L-5418 may prove useful for grand mal epilepsy as it is less toxic than diphenylhydantoin and carbamazepine.
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D001463:Barbiturates / Q000494:pharmacology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D004597:Electroshock; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000502:physiology; D011724:Pyridazines / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D001463:Barbiturates; D011724:Pyridazines; D009020:Morphine