Anti-convulsant activity of diazepam and clonidine on metaldehyde-induced seizures in mice: effects on brain gamma-amino butyric acid concentrations and monoamine oxidase activity.

Metaldehyde when administered orally to mice at a dose of 1 g kg-1 produced convulsions and death within 2 h. Brain concentrations of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were significantly reduced and monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity significantly increased in these animals relative to controls. Treatment with either intraperitoneal diazepam or clonidine 20 min after administration of metaldehyde delayed the onset of toxic symptoms and reduced the mortality rate. In those mice which survived longer than 5 h, brain concentrations of GABA, though still not restored to control values, were significantly higher than those in the mice which died. Clonidine, unlike diazepam, also inhibited the increase in brain MAO activity.