title: The anticonvulsant activity of D-cycloserine is specific for tonic convulsions.
abstract: D-Cycloserine has been shown to exert anticonvulsant activity in maximal electroshock seizures. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the spectrum of D-cycloserine anticonvulsant activity using other experimental models of epilepsy. D-Cycloserine induced a dose-related decrease in the incidence of tonic convulsions induced by 120 mg/kg of pentylenetetrazol. The ED50 of D-cycloserine for the inhibition of the tonic convulsions was 109 mg/kg. The anticonvulsant activity was specific for the D-isomer at L-cycloserine (400 mg/kg) had no effect on the tonic convulsions. D-Cycloserine had no effect on the pentylenetetrazol-induced clonic convulsions induced by either 70 or 120 mg/kg pentylenetetrazol, electrically induced nonkindled hippocampal seizures or kindled amygdala seizures. D-Cycloserine had no effect on strychnine-induced tonic convulsions. These results indicate that D-cycloserine is inactive against clonic convulsions and may be active only against tonic convulsions mediated by brainstem sites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843-1114.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Schwade
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003523:Cycloserine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology; D007696:Kindling, Neurologic / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012640:Seizures / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013331:Strychnine; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003523:Cycloserine; D013331:Strychnine; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole