title: The Effects of Sub-Chronic Treatment with Aripiprazole on Pentylenetetrazole- and Electroshock-Induced Seizures in Mice: The Role of Nitric Oxide.
abstract: Almost all antipsychotics have been associated with a risk of epileptic seizure provocation. Aripiprazole is a novel atypical antipsychotic. The risk of seizures with aripiprazole is reported to be the lowest among atypical agents. In this study, we investigated the effect of aripiprazole on seizure of mice in sub-chronic treatments. We also examined the interaction of nitric oxide (NO) with aripiprazole in seizure experiments. Mice received aripiprazole for 6 days and then on the 7th day aripiprazole was injected 60 min before intraperitoneal pentylenetetrazole or electroshock. L-NAME (non-selective NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor), 7-nitroindazole (neuronal NOS selective inhibitor), aminoguanidine (inducible NOS selective inhibitors) or L-arginine (NO donor), all were injected 5 min before aripiprazole in separate groups. The results of both seizure models demonstrated anti-epileptic properties of aripiprazole in sub-chronic administrations. Co-administration of aripiprazole and selective and non-selective NOS inhibitors prevented the anticonvulsant effect of aripiprazole. While L-arginine and aripiprazole co-administration increased the clonic seizure threshold and protection against tonic seizure and death, these effects were not significant. The current results indicated that aripiprazole has anticonvulsant effects probably through the release of NO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moezi
authors.forename: Mahsa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hosseini
authors.forename: Simin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oveisi
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Niknahad
authors.forename: Hamed
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shafaroodi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000068180:Aripiprazole / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003292:Convulsants; D004597:Electroshock; D006146:Guanidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D007191:Indazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole; D012640:Seizures / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003292:Convulsants; D006146:Guanidines; D007191:Indazoles; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; C004479:pimagedine; C080122:7-nitroindazole; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole