Picrotoxin convulsions and GABA metabolism after injection of anticonvulsants in chicks.

Two clinically effective anticonvulsants, phenobarbitone and diazepam, protected 5-day old chicks against picrotoxin convulsions without reducing brain GABA-transaminase activity or raising brain GABA concentration. Ethanolamine-O-sulphate and amino-oxyacetic acid, in doses which inhibited GABA-transminase by at least 63% and approximately doubled brain GABA concentration, did not significantly affect the ED50 for picrotoxin convulsions. The ED50 for picrotoxin convulsions was significantly raised by di-n-propylacetate (800 mg/kg) which inhibited GABA transaminase activity by 6% and elevated brain GABA concentration by 26%.