[Effect of levetiracetam on the sodium currents of rat hippocampal neurons exposed to coriaria lactone].
OBJECTIVE
To test the effect of Levetiracetam (LEV) on the sodium currents of rat hippocampal neurons exposed to epileptogenic coriaria lactone (CL).


METHODS
Acutely isolated Sprague-Dawley Rat hippocampal neurons were subjected to the whole-cell mode of patch clamp under experimental conditions designed to detect voltage-gated sodium currents. The CL (0.2 mg/mL) was used to increase the sodium currents of the neurons. Then the LEV was added (150 or 300 micromol/L) to test the effect of LEV on the peak current amplitudes through a comparison with the control group in which extracellular solution was added instead and the group in which nothing was added. Another. group was pretreated with 300 micromol/L of LEV before the neutrons were treated with the CL.


RESULTS
The maximum peak amplitudes (MPA) of the sodium currents increased 36.92% +/- 2.84% by the 150 micromol/L of LEV (P < 0.05), similar to those exposed to the CL only (P > 0.05). The increase of MPA of the sodium currents by the 300 micromol/L of LEV (16.58% +/- 1.56%) was less than those exposed to the CL only (P < 0.05). However, no significant difference was found between the 300 micromol/L LEV treated group and the control group (P > 0.05). The MPA of the sodium currents of LEV pretreated neutrons increased 32.86% +/- 6.73% (P < 0.05), similar to those without pretreatment (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The LEV does not decrease the sodium currents of rat hippocampal neurons induced by the CL. The antiepileptic action of LEV has nothing to do with the neuronal voltage-gated sodium channels.
Liu
Jie
J
Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Lai
Xiao-hui
XH
Liao
Da-qing
DQ
Zhang
Qin
Q
Zhou
Dong
D
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology*; D007783:Lactones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000187:drug effects*
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D007783:Lactones; D015222:Sodium Channels; D000077287:Levetiracetam; C049836:coriaria lactone; D010889:Piracetam