Effects of misoprostol on pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures in mice

The effects of prostaglandin E-analogue misoprostol on the susceptibility to pentilenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizures were examined in mice. Misoprostol (200-800 micrograms/kg), given subcutaneously 45 min before the subconvulsive dose of PTZ (30 mg/kg, i.p) provoked dose-dependent clonic-tonic seizures (30 to 100%) and mortality in mice. At 300 g/kg, s.c., misoprostol pretreatment significantly (p < 0.05) lowered the onset latency to first convulsion as well as the latency to mortality induced by a convulsive dose of PTZ (60 mg/kg, i.p.). At this dose misoprostol was found to lower the CD50 and Ld50 values for PTZ by 21% and 36% respectively. The results suggest that prostaglandins are likely to lower the threshold for convulsions.