title: Role of nitric oxide in the anticonvulsive effect of progesterone.
abstract: Described here is an investigation of the potential interaction of the nitric oxide signaling pathway with the anticonvulsant effects of progesterone. In ovariectomized Swiss mice, the threshold for seizures induced by intravenous infusion of pentylenetetrazole was determined after treatment with progesterone (25, 50, or 75 mg/kg, given subcutaneously 6h before seizure testing) or vehicle. Progesterone induced significant anticonvulsive activity at moderate (50 mg/kg) and high (75 mg/kg) doses. This effect of progesterone was abolished by the NO precursor compound L-arginine (200 mg/kg). Moreover, when subeffective doses of progesterone (25 mg/kg) and the NO synthase inhibitor N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (10 mg/kg) were injected, a strong anticonvulsant effect was observed. These findings suggest a potential role for NO signaling as an anticonvulsant target in females.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Taha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gholipour
authors.forename: Atieh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jabbarzadeh
authors.forename: Kiarash
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Riazi
authors.forename: Aylar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rasouli
authors.forename: Behtash Ghazi
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Nezami
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharifzadeh
authors.forename: Ahmad Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Dehpour
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole; D011374:Progesterone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D011374:Progesterone; D001120:Arginine; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole