engleski

The influence of amlodipine on the brain free fatty acid level in penicillin-induced seizures in rats

Chemically induced seizures in animals are accompanied with the increase in cerebral free fatty acids (FFAs) as a result of their liberation from membrane phospholipids. This process is mediated by phospholipases that could be stimulated by the increase of intracellular Ca2+ concentration. The FFAs, particulary arachidonic acid, are assumed to have detrimental effects on mitochondrial and plasma membrane functions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the calcium channel blocker, amlodipine, on the brain FFA level in penicillin-induced seizures in rats. The study was carried out on Hannover-Wistar rats. The animals were anesthetized and placed in a stereotaxic apparatus. Each of them received an injection of penicillin (5000 5/l) into the left lateral ventricle. Various doses of amlodipine (1, 3, 10 or 30 mg/kg) had been injected i.p. 30 minutes prior to penicillin application. The rats were decapitated five minutes after the appearance of epileptic seizures. FFAs were quantified by gas chromatnaruphv. Our results demonstrate that intracerebral penicillin administration induced significant increase increase of the brain FFA level, It has also been found that amlodipine did not prevent penicillin induced accumulation of the brain FFAs.

amlodipine; arachidonic acid; penicillin; seizures; rat

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