Publication:

Combined anticonvulsant effect of nifedipine and pentazocine in experimentally induced seizures in rats

Background Epilepsy is one of the common disorders of human with a prevalence of approximately 1% of the total population. Majority of seizures can be controlled with available antiepileptic drugs, about 20% of them still remain resistant to treatment. Recognizing this, there is a need to develop newer antiepileptic drugs with therapeutic potential. Present work is based upon the production of convulsions by maximal electroshock in rats. Evaluation of combined anticonvulsant effect of nifedipine and pentazocine on the duration of convulsion and duration of tonic hind limb extension and recovery in rats.

Methods The study was commenced after obtaining approval from IAEC, Department of Pharmacology, Osmania Medical College, Koti, Hyderabad. All the wistar rats were induced convulsions by Maximal Electro-Shock (MES) method and rats showing tonic hind limb extension response were randomised into four groups (six animals in each group). Group 1 received distilled water, group 2 treated with nifedipine 10mg/kg BW, group 3 treated with pentazocine 30mg/kg BW and group 4 treated with both nifedipine 10mg/kg BW and pentazocine 30mg/kg BW. Drug administered by intraperitoneal route. The data analysed using ANOVA and group means with LSD Post Hoc Test. p‐values <0.05 were considered as significant.

Results When nifedipine and pentazocine were combined, the mean duration of convulsions, tonic hind limb extension and recovery were significantly decreased compared to control, nifedipine and pentazocine.

Conclusions The results obtained in this study provide supporting pharmacological evidence of efficacy, possible potential benefit of combining nifedipine with pentazocine in epilepsy.