Experimental Evaluation of Median Effective Dose of Retigabine (trobalt ® ) in the Maximal Electroshock Test and Maximal Pentylenetetrazole Test in Rats

Retigabine is a novel antiepileptic drug that influences M-type potassium currents. It is active in broad range of animal seizure models. PURPOSE. The aim of the present study is to determine the median effective dose (ED50) of Retigabine in two seizure models – maximal electroshock (MES) test and maximal pentylenetetrazole (MPTZ) test in rats. METHODS. Male Wistar rats (10 groups of 6 rats) were treated orally with Retigabine in doses 5, 7, 12, 20, 25 mg/kg (MES test) and 35, 60, 70, 90, 100 mg/kg (MPTZ test) respectively. ED50 MES and ED50 MPTZ were evaluated 30 minutes after p.o. administration of Retigabine (Trobalt ® , tab. 200 mg) by the method of Litchfield and Wilcoxon. PTZ was injected i.p. in dose 100 mg/kg. RESULTS. Our results showed ED50 Retigabine = 18 mg/kg in the MES test and ED50 Retigabine = 64 mg/kg in the i.p. MPTZ test. The drug supress electrically and chemically induced seizures – models of generalized tonic – clonic seizures. CONCLUSIONS. Retigabine inhibits generalized seizures in MES test (18 mg/kg, p.o.) and in i.p. MPTZ test (64 mg/kg, p.o).