Pentylenetetrazol-induced kindling in animals: protective effect of BR-16A.

Repeated administration of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ, 30 mg/kg, thrice a week) to mice for 9 weeks and subsequent challenge of the animals with the same dose of PTZ on the last chronic dose produced chemical kindling. The mice showed myoclonic jerks, clonus, Straub's tail, falling back response and full blown convulsions. The anticonvulsant profile of chronic administration of BR-16A (100 and 500 mg/kg) was studied in this model of epilepsy. BR-16A offered protection against PTZ-induced chemical kindling. The per cent animals showing myoclonic jerks and clonus was reduced to 40 and 34 with 100 mg/kg and 54 and 27 with 500 mg/kg of BR-16A, respectively. The protective effect was compared with diazepam (1 mg/kg, ip). The results demonstrated GABAA receptor mediated PTZ-induced kindling and protective effect of BR-16A therein.