Anticonvulsive potential of cardiac glycosides under conditions of pentilentetrazole-induced seizures in mice: comparative study

Abstract

Aim. The research provides a comparative analysis of the possible anticonvulsant action of different cardiac glycosides, namely: digoxin, lanatoside C, strophanthin G and corglycone. In addition, it detrmines the leading medication among the abovementioned ones by dose-dependence of its anticonvulsant action. Material and Methods. The research was performed on 66 random-bred albino male mice. The anticonvulsant effect of cardiac glycosides was studied in a baseline model of pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures. The first series of experiment evaluated the effect of cardiac glycosides on the course of model seizures in comparable doses of approximately 1/10 LD50 for the corresponding drug: digoxin, lanatoside C and strophanthin G - at a dose of 0.8 mg/kg; corglycone - at a dose of 1 mg/kg. The second series of experiments used the drug-leader, which was digoxin, in a wide dose range from 0.2 to 1.6 mg/kg. Digoxin, strophanthin G and corglycone were administered subcutaneously for 15 minutes, lanatoside C - intragastrically for 30 minutes before the induction of experimental seizures. Convulsive agent - pentylenetetrazole in the form of an aqueous solution was administered to animals subcutaneously at a dose of 80 mg/kg. Results and Discussion. Digoxin at a dose of 0.8 mg/kg under conditions of pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures shows a pronounced anticonvulsant activity: it is the only one among the studied cardiac glycosides that probably reduces lethality. In addition, digoxin prolongs the latency period of the first attacks, and reduces the number of clonic-tonic paroxysms in 1 mouse. Moderate anticonvulsant properties of lanatoside C were found both by a statistically significant decrease in the number of clonic-tonic seizures in 1 mouse, and by a significant reduction in the duration of the convulsive period. Although strophanthin G is unlikely to affect lethality, it moderately reduces the severity of pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in mice, as evidenced by a statistically significant prolongation of the latency period of the first seizures, as well as a decrease in the number of clonic-tonic seizures in 1 mouse and the duration of seizures. Prophylactic administration of corglycone only prolongs the latency period of seizures and significantly reduces the number of clonic-tonic seizures in 1 mouse. The results of the dose-dependence study of digoxin anticonvulsant action show a clear anticonvulsant potential of this cardiac glycoside in a wide range of doses - from 0.2 to 1.6 mg/kg - with a maximum effect at a dose of 0.8 mg/kg. Conclusions. It was found that cardiac glycosides have a different severity of anticonvulsant effect: the most powerful anticonvulsant effect is due to digoxin, lanatoside C and strophanthin G have moderate properties, and the least pronounced effect is characteristic to corglycone. In addition, it was determined that digoxin exhibits anticonvulsant properties in a wide range of doses, and has the most pronounced anticonvulsant effect at a dose of 0.8 mg/kg. The obtained results substantiate the expediency of further in-depth study of digoxin as an anticonvulsant medicine.

Keywords

• cardiac glycosides, digoxin, anticonvulsant activity, experimental seizures, mice