Effects of flunarizine on experimentally-induced convulsions in animals.

D,L-allylglycine-induced seizures in rats were antagonized by flunarizine and other antiepileptic drugs. In this respect, the spectrum of flunarizine appears to be similar to that of diphenylhydantoin. A behavioral analysis of the effects of various drugs on amygdaloid kindled rats showed that flunarizine exerts anticonvulsive effects in this model with an ED50 of 42.8 mg/kg. Furthermore, flunarizine (1, 5, 25 and 50 mg/kg i.p.) reduced seizure parameters in rats injected with strychnine or pentetrazol. In this case, flunarizine reduced seizure intensity and increased the percentage of survival. In another study on genetically epileptic beagles, flunarizine significantly affected the REM and deep slow-wave sleep latencies.