Abstract
Seizures are a disorder caused by structural brain lesions, life-threatening metabolic derangements, or drug toxicity. The present study describes the behavior related to proconvulsant activity induced by thiocolchicoside (TCC) in rats and investigates the electrocorticographic patterns of this behavior and the effectiveness of classic antiepileptic drugs used to control these seizures. Forty-nine adult male Wistar rats were used and divided into two phases of our experimental design: 1) evaluation of seizure-related behavior and electrocorticographic patterns induced by TCC and 2) evaluation of the efficacy of classical antiepileptic drugs to control the proconvulsive activity caused by TCC. Our results showed that TCC induced tonic-clonic seizures that caused changes in electrocorticographic readings, characteristic of convulsive activity, with average amplitude greater than that induced by pentylenetetrazole. Treatment with anticonvulsants, especially diazepam, reduced the electrocorticographic outbreaks induced by TCC. The results suggested that TCC caused seizures with increased power in brain oscillations up to 40 Hz and that diazepam may partially reverse the effects.
Highlights
Seizures are one of the most common neurological emergencies
Thiocolchicoside (TCC) is a natural derivative of colchicine and a semisynthetic derivative of colchicoside, a glycoside that occurs naturally in the plant Gloriosa superba and is an analog of colchicine [4]. This substance has been used for decades, primarily as a non-benzodiazepine muscle relaxant that acts on the central nervous system [5]
After TCC administration, the animals presented the initial symptoms of seizure, such as immobility, at 75±32 s, followed by vibrissae lifting (165±45 s), and tail stiffening (198±65 s), which are all components of phase 1 (Figure 1)
Summary
Seizures are one of the most common neurological emergencies They usually occur due to an acute injury associated to underlying brain diseases or drug adverse reactions. These acute injuries are often the result of ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes, electrolyte disturbances, and infections. Various medications are known to cause seizures, and extensive research has been conducted to determine the mechanisms that cause these events and to identify individuals that are most susceptible [3] In this context, thiocolchicoside (TCC) is a natural derivative of colchicine and a semisynthetic derivative of colchicoside, a glycoside that occurs naturally in the plant Gloriosa superba and is an analog of colchicine [4]. It has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties due to the modulation of chemokine, the production of prostanoids, and the inhibition of the adhesion molecules of the neutrophil and endothelial cells, which may interrupt the inflammation process [4–10]
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