Action of Two Neuroactive
Steroids Against Motor Seizures Induced by Pentetrazol in Rats
During Ontogeny
P. MAREŠ, R. HAUGVICOVÁ, A. KASAL1
Institute of Physiology and 1Institute of Organic
Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech
Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
Received May 26, 2005
Accepted August 15, 2005
On-line available October 17, 2005
Summary
The anticonvulsant action of two neuroactive steroids,
3α–hydroxy-5β–pregnan-20-one (pregnanolone) and triethylammonium
3α–hydroxy-20-oxo-5α–pregnan-21-yl hydrogensuccinate
(THDOC-conjugate), was tested against motor seizures induced by
pentetrazol in immature rats. Five age groups (7, 12, 18 and 25
days old and adult rats) were pretreated with the steroids in
doses from 2.5 to 40 mg/kg i.p. Twenty minutes later pentetrazol
(100 mg/kg s.c.) was administered. Minimal seizures (clonic
seizures of head and forelimb muscles with preserved righting
ability) could be induced in the three older age groups. They
were suppressed by pregnanolone in all these tested groups (this
effect was best expressed in 18-day-old rats and decreased with
age), whereas significant changes in THDOC-conjugate-pretreated
animals appeared only in 18-day-old rats. Generalized
tonic-clonic seizures were suppressed by both neuroactive
steroids in all age groups, this effect being more marked with
pregnanolone and again decreased with age. The 7- and 12-day-old
rats exhibited higher sensitivity of the tonic phase so that
generalized clonic seizures were observed. Duration of the
effect was studied in 12- and 25-day-old animals; it was
substantially shorter in the older rats than in 12-day-old
animals. Both drugs exhibited an anticonvulsant action in
developing rats but, unfortunately, their effect was only
shortlasting.
Key words
Convulsions • Rat • Development • Pregnanolone • New neuroactive
steroid • Anticonvulsant action • Time course of action
|