Naltrexone potentiates 4-aminopyridine seizures in the rat.
The effects of a pharmacological blockade of the mu opiate receptors on the manifestation of tonic-clonic seizures were investigated in freely moving animals. 4-aminopyridine, a specific blocker of the neuronal K+ channels was used to produce generalized convulsions. After pretreatment of adult rats with 1 mg/kg naltrexone HCl, 3, 5, 7, 9, 14 mg/kg 4-aminopyridine was injected intraperitoneally, and the latencies of the symptoms generated by 4-aminopyridine were measured. Naltrexone HCl decreased these latencies and enhanced the seizures significantly. The experiments provided further evidence for the existence of a tonic anticonvulsant opioid system in the brain.
Mihály
A
A
Department of Anatomy, Computing Center of Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical University, Szeged, Hungary.
Bencsik
K
K
Solymosi
T
T
D015761:4-Aminopyridine; D000818:Animals; D003292:Convulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000187:drug effects*; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology
D003292:Convulsants; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu; D009271:Naltrexone; D015761:4-Aminopyridine