ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL STUDIES ON THE ANTIEPILEPTIC EFFECT OF VIGABATRIN IN SEIZURE-INDUCED RATS

Abstract

The present study investigates the effect of the antiepileptic drug vigabatrin on the band and peak power spectra of the EEG waves (delta, theta, alpha, beta-1 and beta-2) of pilocarpinized rats as an induced model of epilepsy. This study also investigates the antiepileptic efficacy of taurine as a protective agent and as a co-drug with vigabatrin on the power spectra of the above EEG waves of pilocarpinized rats.

A single intraperitoneal injection of pilocarpine (300 mg/kg) produced a sequence of alterations in the gastatory and olfactory automatism phase which persisted up to 12-15 min and then developed into motor limbic seizures which lasted for 2-3 hours after injection. These changes in the behavior patterns of rats treated with pilocarpine may be due to the neuronal damage induced in most of the brain areas after pilocarpine injection. Furthermore, the occurrence of spontaneous recurrent seizures, in the present study, between 8 and 18 days after pilocarpine injection supported the success of achieving an animal model of epilepsy and confirmed the establishment of the focus.