Amiloride delays the onset of pilocarpine-induced seizures in rats

Brain Res. 2008 Jul 30:1222:230-2. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2008.05.010. Epub 2008 May 15.

Abstract

Recent evidence suggests that amiloride, a potent and nonselective blocker of acid-sensing ion channels, suppresses generalized seizures induced by maximal electroshock and pentylenetrazole. Here I further determined and quantified the effects of amiloride on the occurrence of limbic seizures and status epilepticus-induced by intraperitoneal administration of pilocarpine, a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor agonist. Pretreatment with various doses (5, 10, 30, 100, and 200 mg/kg) of amiloride significantly delayed the onset of the first episode of limbic seizures and the occurrence of status epilepticus following administration of pilocarpine (380 mg/kg). At the dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg, amiloride suppressed limbic seizures in 33% of pilocarpine-treated animals and significantly reduced the seizure severity score in 67% of the remaining animals. These findings suggest that amiloride may modulate seizure generation and propagation, probably via mechanisms involving acid-sensing ion channels in the pilocarpine model of temporal lobe epilepsy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Amiloride / therapeutic use*
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Male
  • Pilocarpine
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Reaction Time / drug effects
  • Seizures / chemically induced
  • Seizures / prevention & control*
  • Sodium Channel Blockers / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Sodium Channel Blockers
  • Pilocarpine
  • Amiloride