title: Anticonvulsant effects of carbamazepine on spontaneous seizures in rats with kainate-induced epilepsy: comparison of intraperitoneal injections with drug-in-food protocols.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study evaluated the effectiveness of intraperitoneal (IP) injections and oral administration of carbamazepine (CBZ) in food on the frequency of spontaneous motor seizures in rats with kainate-induced epilepsy. The purpose was to develop a convenient drug-in-food approach for continuous, long-term administration of potential antiepileptic drugs (AEDs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Single IP injections of CBZ (10-100 mg/kg) were compared to vehicle injections via six AED-versus-vehicle tests using a repeated-measures, crossover protocol. Similar protocols were used with CBZ-containing or control food pellets.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CBZ significantly reduced motor seizure frequency at 30 and 100 mg/kg after single IP injections, and these doses completely blocked motor seizures during a 6-h postdrug epoch in 25% and 70% of the animals, respectively. Single administrations of 30 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg CBZ in food also significantly reduced motor seizures, and blocked seizures in 33% and 89% of the rats, respectively. CBZ administered in food three times per day (100 mg/kg x3 CBZ in food) continuously blocked nearly all motor seizures over a 5-day period, and completely suppressed motor seizures in 50% of the animals tested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CBZ strongly suppresses spontaneous motor seizures, and single doses of CBZ in food are as effective as IP injections in rats with kainate-induced epilepsy. CBZ administered regularly in food continuously blocks nearly all motor seizures, and may provide a relatively simple method to test AEDs in chronic models of epilepsy.
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Anatomy and Neurobiology Section, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA.
authors: Heidi L
authors: HL
authors: Grabenstatter
authors: Suzanne
authors: S
authors: Clark
authors: F Edward
authors: FE
authors: Dudek
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005527:Food, Fortified; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007608:Kainic Acid; D008297:Male; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012640:Seizures / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D002220:Carbamazepine; D007608:Kainic Acid