The effects of verapamil and flunarizine on epileptiform activity induced by bicuculline and low Mg2+ in neocortical tissue of epileptic and primary non-epileptic patients

Brain Res. 1996 Sep 16;733(2):307-11. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(96)00802-5.

Abstract

In human neocortical slices the specific L-type calcium channel blocker verapamil had been shown to be antiepileptic in the low Mg(2+)-model of epilepsy. The present investigation demonstrated: (1) verapamil exerted also an antiepileptic effect on epileptiform field potentials (EFP) induced by the GABAA-antagonist bicuculline. (2) The unspecific calcium channel modulator flunarizine, which in contrast to verapamil penetrates the blood-brain barrier, depressed EFP in the low Mg(2+)-model and in the bicuculline model. (3) There was no significant difference in the antiepileptic efficacy of verapamil and flunarizine in epileptic (epilepsy surgery) and primary non-epileptic (tumor surgery) neocortical slices.

MeSH terms

  • Astrocytoma / metabolism
  • Astrocytoma / surgery
  • Bicuculline / pharmacology*
  • Brain Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Brain Neoplasms / physiopathology
  • Brain Neoplasms / secondary
  • Brain Neoplasms / surgery
  • Cerebral Cortex / drug effects
  • Cerebral Cortex / metabolism
  • Cerebral Cortex / physiopathology*
  • Ependymoma / metabolism
  • Ependymoma / physiopathology
  • Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe / metabolism*
  • Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe / physiopathology
  • Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / metabolism
  • Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / physiopathology*
  • Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / surgery
  • Evoked Potentials / drug effects
  • Female
  • Flunarizine / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Magnesium / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Oligodendroglioma / metabolism
  • Oligodendroglioma / physiopathology
  • Verapamil / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Verapamil
  • Magnesium
  • Flunarizine
  • Bicuculline