Anticonvulsant profiles of the potent and orally active GABA uptake inhibitors SK&F 89976-A and SK&F 100330-A and four prototype antiepileptic drugs in mice and rats.

The anticonvulsant profiles of two potent and orally active gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) uptake inhibitors, 1-(4,4-diphenyl-3-butenyl)-3-piperidine-carboxylic acid hydrochloride (SK&F 89976-A) and 1-(4,4-diphenyl-3-butenyl)-1,2,5,6-tetrahydro-3-pyridine-carboxylic acid hydrochloride (SK&F 100330-A), were determined with a battery of well-standardized tests in mice and rats and compared with the profiles of phenytoin (PHT), carbamazepine (CBZ), valproate (VPA) and clonazepam (CZP) when subjected to the same tests. ED50 values were calculated and compared with TD50 values for minimal motor impairment to provide protective indexes (PI = TD50/ED50). The anticonvulsant profiles of SK&F 89976-A and SK&F 100330-A were similar and suggest that these compounds raise the threshold for seizure initiation rather than inhibit seizure spread. Like intraperitoneal (i.p.) PHT, CBZ, VPA, and CZP, SK&F 89976-A and SK&F 100330-A inhibited seizures in corneally kindled rats. The profiles of SK&F 89976-A and SK&F 100330-A were most similar to that of CZP and virtually opposite to that of PHT. Intraperitoneal SK&F 100330-A provided complete protection against pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures [subcutaneous (s.c.) PTZ] in mice but was ineffective against seizures induced by maximal electroshock (MES) at doses slightly greater than its TD50. SK&F 100330-A provided complete protection against picrotoxin-induced seizures (s.c. Pic) and against both clonus and forelimb tonic extension induced by NMDA N-methyl-D-aspartate [intracerebral ventricular (i.c.v.)-NMDA] in mice; however, SK&F 100330-A was ineffective against seizures induced by bicuculline (s.c. Bic) and strychnine (s.c. Strych) at doses slightly greater than its TD50. SK&F 89976-A was similar but provided partial protection against NMDA-induced clonus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)