Anticonvulsant and antiarrhythmic effects of nifedipine in rats prone to audiogenic seizures
Calcium ion participates in the regulation of neural transmission and the presynaptic release of neurotransmitters. It is also involved in epileptic events, cardiac arrhythmias and abnormal conduction of stimuli. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of nifedipine, a calcium c...
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Associação Brasileira de Divulgação Científica
2012-11-01
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doaj-04aedc615f924d1690aecad077cf3bba2020-11-24T23:20:51ZengAssociação Brasileira de Divulgação CientíficaBrazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research0100-879X1414-431X2012-11-01451110601065Anticonvulsant and antiarrhythmic effects of nifedipine in rats prone to audiogenic seizuresD.D. DamascenoA.J. FerreiraM.C. DorettoA.P. AlmeidaCalcium ion participates in the regulation of neural transmission and the presynaptic release of neurotransmitters. It is also involved in epileptic events, cardiac arrhythmias and abnormal conduction of stimuli. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of nifedipine, a calcium channel blocker, on epileptic seizures and on reperfusion arrhythmias in rats prone to audiogenic epileptic seizures (Wistar audiogenic rats, WAR) and in normal Wistar rats (N = 6/group). The seizure severity index was applied after an intraperitoneal injection of 20 or 40 mg/kg nifedipine (N20 and N40 groups, respectively). The Langendorff technique was used to analyze cardiac function, as well as the incidence and severity of the reperfusion arrhythmias after ligature and release of the left coronary artery in rats treated or not with nifedipine. We found that nifedipine treatment decreased seizure severity (0.94 ± 0.02 for WAR; 0.70 ± 0.10 for WAR + N20; 0.47 ± 0.08 for WAR + N40) and increased the latent period (13 ± 2 s for WAR; 35 ± 10 s for WAR + N20; 48 ± 7 s for WAR + N40) for the development of seizures in WAR. Furthermore, the incidence and severity of the reperfusion arrhythmias were lower in WAR and normal Wistar rats injected with nifedipine. In WAR, these effects were mediated, at least in part, by a decrease in heart rate. Thus, our results indicate that nifedipine may be considered to be a potential adjuvant drug for epilepsy treatment, especially in those cases associated with cardiac rhythm abnormalities.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-879X2012001100010NifedipineCalcium channel antagonismAudiogenic seizuresEpilepsyArrhythmias |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
D.D. Damasceno A.J. Ferreira M.C. Doretto A.P. Almeida |
spellingShingle |
D.D. Damasceno A.J. Ferreira M.C. Doretto A.P. Almeida Anticonvulsant and antiarrhythmic effects of nifedipine in rats prone to audiogenic seizures Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research Nifedipine Calcium channel antagonism Audiogenic seizures Epilepsy Arrhythmias |
author_facet |
D.D. Damasceno A.J. Ferreira M.C. Doretto A.P. Almeida |
author_sort |
D.D. Damasceno |
title |
Anticonvulsant and antiarrhythmic effects of nifedipine in rats prone to audiogenic seizures |
title_short |
Anticonvulsant and antiarrhythmic effects of nifedipine in rats prone to audiogenic seizures |
title_full |
Anticonvulsant and antiarrhythmic effects of nifedipine in rats prone to audiogenic seizures |
title_fullStr |
Anticonvulsant and antiarrhythmic effects of nifedipine in rats prone to audiogenic seizures |
title_full_unstemmed |
Anticonvulsant and antiarrhythmic effects of nifedipine in rats prone to audiogenic seizures |
title_sort |
anticonvulsant and antiarrhythmic effects of nifedipine in rats prone to audiogenic seizures |
publisher |
Associação Brasileira de Divulgação Científica |
series |
Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research |
issn |
0100-879X 1414-431X |
publishDate |
2012-11-01 |
description |
Calcium ion participates in the regulation of neural transmission and the presynaptic release of neurotransmitters. It is also involved in epileptic events, cardiac arrhythmias and abnormal conduction of stimuli. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of nifedipine, a calcium channel blocker, on epileptic seizures and on reperfusion arrhythmias in rats prone to audiogenic epileptic seizures (Wistar audiogenic rats, WAR) and in normal Wistar rats (N = 6/group). The seizure severity index was applied after an intraperitoneal injection of 20 or 40 mg/kg nifedipine (N20 and N40 groups, respectively). The Langendorff technique was used to analyze cardiac function, as well as the incidence and severity of the reperfusion arrhythmias after ligature and release of the left coronary artery in rats treated or not with nifedipine. We found that nifedipine treatment decreased seizure severity (0.94 ± 0.02 for WAR; 0.70 ± 0.10 for WAR + N20; 0.47 ± 0.08 for WAR + N40) and increased the latent period (13 ± 2 s for WAR; 35 ± 10 s for WAR + N20; 48 ± 7 s for WAR + N40) for the development of seizures in WAR. Furthermore, the incidence and severity of the reperfusion arrhythmias were lower in WAR and normal Wistar rats injected with nifedipine. In WAR, these effects were mediated, at least in part, by a decrease in heart rate. Thus, our results indicate that nifedipine may be considered to be a potential adjuvant drug for epilepsy treatment, especially in those cases associated with cardiac rhythm abnormalities. |
topic |
Nifedipine Calcium channel antagonism Audiogenic seizures Epilepsy Arrhythmias |
url |
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-879X2012001100010 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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