title: Xylazine impairs the anticonvulsant activity of conventional antiepileptic drugs in mice.
abstract: In this study the influence of xylazine upon the threshold of electrically-induced convulsions and the anticonvulsant action of diazepam, phenobarbital and phenytoin was studied in mice. All drugs were given as solutions intraperitoneally (i.p.). Xylazine did not alter seizure threshold at any of the doses tested (range 0-6 mg/kg i.p.). However, when combined with seizure-increasing doses of phenobarbital and phenytoin, xylazine at a dose of 2 mg/kg significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the ability of these anticonvulsants to increase seizure threshold. Xylazine also reduced the anticonvulsant effect of diazepam, though insignificantly. Our data indicate that xylazine should be contraindicated in animals on the anticonvulsant medication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wlaź
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Roliński
mesh_terms: D000777:Anesthetics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003975:Diazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D014991:Xylazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014991:Xylazine; D010672:Phenytoin; D003975:Diazepam; D010634:Phenobarbital