title: Anticonvulsant effects of tetronic acid derivatives on picrotoxin induced epileptiform activity in rat hippocampal slices.
abstract: We have investigated the effects of a new class of anticonvulsants, the tetronic acid derivatives AO33 (generic name: losigame) and AO78, on field potentials, extracellular calcium concentration changes and intracellular potentials in rat hippocampal slices treated with the non-competitive GABAA antagonist picrotoxin (PTX). The tetronic acid derivatives reduced and eventually blocked spontaneous epileptiform events, induced by 10 to 30 microM PTX. Stimulus induced burst discharges were shortened in duration, but not blocked. Extracellular calcium concentration changes and associated slow negative field potentials were diminished in a dose dependent manner. Intracellular recordings revealed no effect of AO33 on resting membrane potential, little effect on input resistance, a small increase in the threshold of action potentials and an attenuation of stimulus induced paroxysmal depolarisation shifts (PDSs). Spontaneous PDSs initially decreased in duration until they were no longer observable.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Neurophysiologie, Zentrum Physiologie und Pathophysiologie, Universität zu Köln, Cologne, F.R.G.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Köhr
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Heinemann
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005663:Furans / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D010852:Picrotoxin; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D005663:Furans; D010852:Picrotoxin; C065426:A 078; C065427:losigame; C003422:tetronic acid