Anticonvulsant effect of lasidipine in a model of epilepsy experimentally induced by penicillin and pentilentetrazole (PTZ)

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterised by recurrent seizures. Excessive calcium entry into the neurone is the first step in development of epileptiform events. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible anticonvulsant effects of calcium channel blocker lasidipine (LAS) on an experimental epilepsy model induced by penicillin (PEN) and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). In this study, 63 male Wistar albino rats aged 2-4 months and weighing 200-250 grams divided into 9 groups: control (saline), control (PTZ), PTZ+diazepam (DIA), PTZ+LAS, PTZ+LAS+DIA, control (PEN), PEN+DIA, PEN+LAS and PEN+LAS+DIA (n:7). Positive control groups received 5 mg/kg DIA (ip.) and the experimental group received 4 mg/kg LAS (0.1 ml, i.p.). For epileptiform activity, rats injected with PTZ 50 mg/kg (i.p.) and video recordings taken. For epileptiform activity in PEN model, 500 IU, 2.5 µl, icv PEN administered and electrocorticography measured. Myoclonic jerk latency, generalised tonic-clonic seizure latency, generalised tonic-clonic seizure duration and seizure stages were significantly higher in experimental groups compared to control group. Mean latency of LAS group found to be more significant and higher than control group. Spike wave amplitudes were significantly lower in LAS group after PEN compared to control group. Mean spike wave frequency was significantly lower in DIA and LAS groups compared to control group. According to the parameters evaluated in the study, lasidipine showed anticonvulsant effect on epilepsy induced by PEN and PTZ. Further studies are needed to explain the mechanism of anticonvulsant effect of lasidipine.