title: Lack of pro-convulsant activity of the antipsychotic alkaloid alstonine.
abstract: Psychiatry co-morbidity with epilepsy is common and often requires the combined use of psychotropic and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). For schizophrenic patients, the occurrence of seizures with atypical agents is highest among antipsychotics, although these agents are more effective in alleviating symptoms (including negative symptoms) and are associated with fewer extrapiramidal effects. The indol alkaloid alstonine is the major component of plants used by traditional Nigerian psychiatrists as anti-dementia drugs. The alkaloid presents an experimental profile very similar to the atypical antipsychotic clozapine. This study aimed to compare the pro-convulsant activity of these two antipsychotic compounds. Through repetitive administration over a 30-day period in a kindling paradigm, it is shown that, unlike clozapine, alstonine does not possess pro-convulsant activity. The data adds to previous suggestions that alstonine deserves to be scrutinized as a model for the development of newer antipsychotics.
authors.affiliation: UNESC, Departmento de Farmacia, Av. Universitaria 1105, 88806-00 Criciuma, SC, Brazil. lca@unesc.rct-sc.br
authors.forename: Luciane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Costa-Campos
authors.forename: Maurice
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwu
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elisabetsky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D029062:Apocynaceae; D003024:Clozapine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D046948:Secologanin Tryptamine Alkaloids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012640:Seizures / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D046948:Secologanin Tryptamine Alkaloids; C009244:serpentine (alkaloid); D003024:Clozapine