title: Antiepileptic effect of nefiracetam on kainic acid-induced limbic seizure in rats.
abstract: Nefiracetam is being studied as a novel cognition-enhancing agent; however, it has been suggested from studying its chemical structure that it has a potential anticonvulsive effect. We examined the antiepileptic effect of nefiracetam on kainic acid (KA)-induced seizures. KA was infused into the left basolateral amygdaloid nucleus and focal limbic seizures were induced in 43 male Wistar rats. During status epilepticus, 10, 50, 100 or 200 mg/kg of nefiracetam was intravenously injected. Nefiracetam inhibited KA-induced limbic seizures at doses over 100 mg/kg while it had a sedative effect on the animals. In (14C) deoxyglucose autoradiographic studies, the propagation of seizure-induced hypermetabolic areas was also suppressed dose-dependently. From the results, it was indicated that nefiracetam has an antiepileptic effect and that its application may suppress seizure propagation. Further study is required, whether this agent is available as a novel anticonvulsant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Asahikawa Medical College, 4-5 Nishikagura, Asahikawa, Japan. kmark113@asahikawa-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashizume
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kunimoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D004594:Electrophysiology; D004597:Electroshock; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D007608:Kainic Acid; D008032:Limbic System / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D011760:Pyrrolidinones; C058876:nefiracetam; D005947:Glucose; D007608:Kainic Acid