Antiepileptic effects of 20-hydroxyecdysone on convulsive seizures in spontaneously epileptic rats.
We examined the effect of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-HE), a neurosteroid found in insects that is involved in their developmental process, on both tonic convulsion and absence-like seizure in spontaneously epileptic rat (SER). When 20-HE was given orally to SER at 25-200 mg/kg, significant decreases of the tonic convulsion were observed with 100 and 200 mg/kg. Pretreatment of the animal with bicuculline (1 mg/kg, i.p.) antagonized the inhibitory effects of 20-HE. However, absence-like seizures were not affected by 20-HE. These findings indicate that 20-HE produces antiepileptic effects on tonic convulsion by acting on the modulatory site of GABA(A) receptors.
Hanaya
R
R
Department of Neurosurgery, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, Japan.
Sasa
M
M
Ishihara
K
K
Akimitsu
T
T
Iida
K
K
Amano
T
T
Serikawa
T
T
Arita
K
K
Kurisu
K
K
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001640:Bicuculline / Q000494:pharmacology; D003292:Convulsants / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004441:Ecdysterone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003292:Convulsants; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D004441:Ecdysterone; D001640:Bicuculline