Anticonvulsant activity of felbamate in amygdala kindling model of temporal lobe epilepsy in rats

Abstract

Purpose: Previous studies have demonstrated that felbamate (FBM, 2- phenyl-1,3-propanediol dicarbamate) at nontoxic doses exerts potent anticonvulsant activity in a variety of animal epilepsy or seizure models. We further characterized the anticonvulsant activity of FBM by using the kindling model of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Methods: The experiments were performed in fully kindled rats. The anticonvulsant effect of FBM was assessed by determining seizure severity, afterdischarge (AD) duration and seizure duration either at the focal seizure threshold, or after suprathreshold stimulation. In addition, the neurological performance of kindled rats after FBM administration was evaluated in the open field and by the rotorod test. Results: FBM at doses of 12.5-50 mg/kg, given intraperitoneally (i.p.) 60 min before testing, dose-dependently increased the AD threshold (ADT). The maximal effect was achieved after the highest dose tested and reached almost 600% of the control ADT. This dose of FBM significantly diminished other seizure parameters; e.g., seizure severity, seizure duration, and AD duration. When the rats were stimulated with suprathreshold current (500 μA) seizure severity was moderately but significantly reduced. No behavioral abnormalities were noted in kindled rats after administration of either of the doses. Conclusions: FBM potently increases the threshold for focal seizures and reduces seizure severity, seizure duration, and AD duration at doses that produce no adverse behavioral effects in amygdala-kindled rots. These data are thus compatible with clinical experience with FBM in TLE and substantiate that kindling is a good predictor of anticonvulsant activity against TLE.