Differential hippocampal pharmacokinetics of phenobarbital and carbamazepine in repetitive seizures induced by 3-mercaptopropionic acid.

Previous evidence has shown that chronic 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MP) administration induced brain P-glycoprotein (P-gp) overexpression altering target site accumulation of phenytoin. The aim of the present work was to assess the involvement of P-glycoprotein in carbamazepine and phenobarbital hippocampal pharmacokinetics in an experimental model of epilepsy, induced by repetitive MP administration. Seizures were induced in Wistar rats by injection of MP (45 mg kg(-1), i.p.) during 10 days. Control rats (C) were injected with saline solution. In order to monitor extracellular brain antiepileptic levels, a concentric probe was inserted into the hippocampus. Animals were administered with carbamazepine (10 mg kg(-1), i.v.) or phenobarbital (20 mg kg(-1), i.v.) 30 min after intraperitoneal administration of vehicle or nimodipine (2 mg kg(-1)), a well known P-glycoprotein inhibitor. No differences were found in hippocampal concentrations of carbamazepine comparing all groups. In vehicle pre-treated rats, hippocampal phenobarbital concentrations were lower in MP (maximal concentration, C(max): 6.0+/-0.6 microg ml(-1), p<0.05) than in C animals (C(max): 9.4+/-0.9 microg ml(-1)). Control rats pre-treated with nimodipine showed similar results (C(max): 10.7+/-0.6 microg ml(-1)) than those pre-treated with vehicle. Nimodipine pre-treatment in MP rats enhanced hippocampal phenobarbital concentrations (C(max): 10.2+/-1.0 microg ml(-1), p<0.05) as compared with vehicle pre-treatment. Results of our work suggest that P-glycoprotein (P-gp) overexpression by repetitive seizures induced by MP administration does not modify brain bioavailability of carbamazepine. Conversely, hippocampal levels of phenobarbital are reduced in MP rats with regard to non-epileptic rats, suggesting a potential role of P-gp overexpression in pharmacoresistance to phenobarbital.

Differential expression of cerebellar metabotropic glutamate receptors mGLUR2/3 and mGLUR4a after the administration of a convulsant drug and the adenosine analogue cyclopentyladenosine.

Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR) play a role in synaptic transmission, neuronal modulation and plasticity but their action in epileptic activity is still controversial. On the other hand adenosine acts as a neuromodulator with endogenous anticonvulsive properties. Since cerebellum from epileptic patients has shown neuronal damage, sometimes associated with Purkinje cells loss, we have explored the effect of repetitive seizures on two types of mGluR in the cerebellum. Seizures were induced by the convulsant drug 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MP) and the effect of the adenosine analogue cyclopentyladenosine (CPA) alone or before MP administration (CPA+MP) were also evaluated. The expression of the receptors subtypes 2/3 (mGluR2/3) and 4a (mGluR4a) was assessed by immunocitochemistry. Granular cell layer was labeled with mGluR2/3 antibody and increased immunoreactivity was observed after MP (60%), CPA (53%) and CPA + MP (85%) treatments. Control cerebellum slices showed mGluR4a reactivity around Purkinje cells, while MP, CPA and CPA+MP treatment decreased this immunostaining. Repetitive administration of MP and CPA induces an increased cerebellar mGluR2/3 and a decreased mGluR4a immunostaining, suggesting a distinct participation of both receptors that may be related to the type of cell involved. A protective action and /or an apoptotic effect may not be discarded. CPA repetitive administration although increase seizure latency, cannot prevent seizure activity.

Nimodipine restores the altered hippocampal phenytoin pharmacokinetics in a refractory epileptic model.

The present work was undertaken to examine the central pharmacokinetics of phenytoin (PHT) in an experimental model of epilepsy, induced by administration of 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MP), and possible participation of P-glycoprotein in this model of epilepsy. Repeated seizures were induced in male Wistar rats by injection of 3-MP (45 mg kg(-1), i.p.) during 10 days. Control rats (C) were injected with saline solution. In order to monitor extracellular PHT levels, either a shunt microdialysis probe or a concentric probe was inserted into carotid artery or hippocampus, respectively. All animals were administered with PHT (30 mg kg(-1), i.v.) 30 min after intraperitoneal administration of vehicle (V) or nimodipine (NIMO, 2 mg kg(-1)). No differences were found in PHT plasma levels comparing all experimental groups. In pre-treated rats with V, hippocampal PHT concentrations were lower in MP (maximal concentration, C(max): 2.7+/-0.3 microg ml(-1), p<0.05 versus C rats) than in C animals (C(max): 5.3+/-0.9 microg ml(-1)). Control rats pre-treated with NIMO showed similar results (C(max): 4.5+/-0.8 microg ml(-1)) than those pre-treated with V. NIMO pre-treatment of MP rats showed higher PHT concentrations (C(max): 6.8+/-1.0 microg ml(-1), p<0.05) when compared with V pre-treated MP group. Our results indicate that central pharmacokinetics of PHT is altered in MP epileptic rats. The effect of NIMO on hippocampal concentrations of PHT suggests that P-glycoprotein has a role in reduced central bioavailability of PHT in our epileptic refractory model.