Effects of calcium antagonist nimodipine on pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in rats and rabbits.
The present work deals with an EEG and behavioral study on the effects of the calcium antagonist nimodipine against the convulsions due to pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) in rats and rabbits. In rats, nimodipine (0.25-1 mg/kg i.p. 15 min before) has a dose-dependent protective effect against PTZ-induced seizures (50 mg/kg i.p.). This effect was reverted by the calcium channel activator BAY K 8644 (1-2 mg/kg, i.p.) showing that the anticonvulsant properties of nimodipine depend upon its calcium antagonistic activity. In rabbits, nimodipine (0.05-4 mg/kg i.v. 5 min before) did not prevent the seizures induced by PTZ (20 mg/kg i.v.). However, the lowest dose of nimodipine (0.05 mg/kg i.v.) was able to prevent or suppress the spike-and-wave complexes elicited by PTZ (10 mg/kg i.v.). These results suggest that the modulation of the calcium influx in the CNS might influence the epileptic phenomena.
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Laboratorio di Farmacologia, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
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Scotti de Carolis
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D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009553:Nimodipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D009553:Nimodipine; D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole