Magnesium sulphate subcutaneously injected protects against kainate-induced convulsions and neurodegeneration: in vivo study on the rat hippocampus.

Kainate, an agonist of a unique subclass of glutamate receptors (kainate receptor), was injected intracerebroventricularly in rats to induce convulsive reactions and hippocampal damage in order to model glutamate-mediated brain injury. Rats treated with magnesium sulfate (subcutaneously injected, up to 600 mg/kg) were found to be protected from kainate neurotoxicity depending on the dose and time of application. Results were largely consistent with those obtained previously by using quinolinate as an excitotoxic N-methyl-D-aspartate-receptor agonist. Magnesium is discussed as being a natural and relatively safe therapeutic in cases of glutamate-induced (hypoxic, ischemic, traumatic, or convulsive) disorders of the brain.