title: Effects of L-arginine on prevention and treatment of lithium-pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus.
abstract: The effects of various doses of L-arginine, a nitric oxide substrate, on lithium-pilocarpine-induced seizures were studied in rats. Rats were implanted with chronic, stainless steel screw electrodes epidurally for electrocortical recordings. A control group received 3 mEq/kg LiCl (i.p.) and 24 h later 45 mg/kg pilocarpine HCl (i.p.). Two different experimental procedures were followed: (1) L-arginine was applied in doses of 100 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg (i.p.), 30 min before pilocarpine injection; (2) 300 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg or 1000 mg/kg (i.p.) L-arginine was injected either 5 min or 30 min after the onset of status epilepticus (SE). L-arginine (300 mg/kg) injected 30 min before pilocarpine significantly reduced the percentage of SE, but did not change the latency to SE or 24-hour survival. These parameters were not significantly affected by the 100 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg dose of L-arginine. On the other hand, no dose of L-arginine that was applied after SE had begun, had any significant influence on the seizures. We concluded that L-arginine may prevent seizure activity in some but not all doses, and does not have any effect on the ongoing seizure activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Uludağ University, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Noyan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Güleç
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D008094:Lithium; D008297:Male; D018721:Muscarinic Agonists; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010862:Pilocarpine; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D018721:Muscarinic Agonists; D010862:Pilocarpine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D008094:Lithium