The effects of verapamil and flunarizine on epileptiform activity induced by bicuculline and low Mg2+ in neocortical tissue of epileptic and primary non-epileptic patients.
In human neocortical slices the specific L-type calcium channel blocker verapamil had been shown to be antiepileptic in the low Mg(2+)-model of epilepsy. The present investigation demonstrated: (1) verapamil exerted also an antiepileptic effect on epileptiform field potentials (EFP) induced by the GABAA-antagonist bicuculline. (2) The unspecific calcium channel modulator flunarizine, which in contrast to verapamil penetrates the blood-brain barrier, depressed EFP in the low Mg(2+)-model and in the bicuculline model. (3) There was no significant difference in the antiepileptic efficacy of verapamil and flunarizine in epileptic (epilepsy surgery) and primary non-epileptic (tumor surgery) neocortical slices.
Straub
H
H
Institut für Physiologie, Universität Münster, Germany.
Köhling
R
R
Lüke
A
A
Fauteck
J D
JD
Speckmann
E J
EJ
Moskopp
D
D
Wassmann
H
H
Tuxhorn
I
I
Wolf
P
P
Pannek
H
H
Oppel
F
F
D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D001640:Bicuculline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D017034:Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005444:Flunarizine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009837:Oligodendroglioma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D014700:Verapamil / Q000494:pharmacology*
D014700:Verapamil; D008274:Magnesium; D005444:Flunarizine; D001640:Bicuculline