title: Anticonvulsant effects of 7-nitroindazole in rodents with reflex epilepsy may result from L-arginine accumulation or a reduction in nitric oxide or L-citrulline formation.
abstract: 1. To investigate the role of nitric oxide in epilepsy we have studied the effects of agents which affect nitric oxide synthesis in sound-induced seizures in DBA/2 mice and in genetically epilepsy-prone (GEP) rats. 2. The neuronal selective nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, 7-nitroindazole (7-NI) is anticonvulsant in these models with ED50 values against clonic seizures in mg kg-1 i.p. (times following injection) of: 74 (+0.25 h), 120 (+1 h) in DAB/2 mice, and 56 (+0.25 h), 42 (+0.5 h), 36 (+1 h), 28 (+2 h), 38 (+4 h), 93 (+8 h) in GEP rats. 3. Therapeutic indices (locomotor deficit ED50/anticonvulsant ED50) for 7-NI are low, ranging from 0.6 to 1.1 at +0.25 h to +1 h after administration in GEP rats, but are more favourable at later times (1.6 at +2 h and 2.9 at +4 h). 4. The substrate for nitric oxide synthase, L-arginine (500-5000 mg kg-1, i.p. or 100-300 micrograms, i.c.v.) but not D-arginine (300 micrograms i.c.v.) is anticonvulsant in DBA/2 mice. L-Arginine (500-5000 mg kg-1, i.p. or 1800-6000 micrograms, i.c.v.) is a more potent anticonvulsant than D-arginine (1500-2500 mg kg-1, i.p. or 6000 micrograms, i.c.v.) in GEP rats. 5. In DBA/2 mice, L-arginine (30 micrograms i.c.v.) reverses the anticonvulsant effect of 7-NI (50 mg kg-1, i.p.). 6. In GEP rats, low dose L-arginine (25-50 mg kg-1, i.p.) but not D-arginine (50 mg kg-1, i.p.) reverses the anticonvulsant effect of low dose 7-NI (25 mg kg-1, i.p.). A higher dose of L-arginine (500 mg kg-1, i.p.) or 7-NI (50 mg kg-1, i.p.) produces summation of anticonvulsant effect. 7. The product for nitric oxide synthase, L-citrulline (250-831 micrograms i.c.v.), is convulsant in DBA/2 mice. 8. The anticonvulsant effect of the neuronal selective nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, 7-nitroindazole, may therefore be mediated by L-arginine accumulation, as well as by a reduction in nitric oxide and L-citrulline formation in rodent models of reflex epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry, Denmark Hill, London.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Man
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Yip
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Meldrum
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001120:Arginine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002956:Citrulline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D007191:Indazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects*; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D007191:Indazoles; D002956:Citrulline; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; C080122:7-nitroindazole