Anxiogenic and proconvulsant effect of gatifloxacin in mice

The present study was performed to assess the neurological and neurobehavioural effects of gatifloxacin after its oral administration in two doses: 25 and 50 mg/kg for 7 days and 14 days in mice. The neurobehavioural parameters used for the short-term study (x 7 days) were pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure, forced swim test, elevated plus-maze, spontaneous alternation behaviour and rota-rod tests. However, only pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure and rota-rod tests were performed in long term (x 14 days) study. The results showed proconvulsant effect of gatifloxacin (50 mg/kg) in pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure test after both short- and long-term administration studies. Gatifloxacin in both doses showed an anxiogenic effect. However, in both doses, it did not show any effect on memory and mood as the drug did not show any effect in alternation behaviour and forced swim tests. In the long term study, gatifloxacin in 50 mg/kg, p.o. produced grip impairing effect only after 14 days of administration. These results reveal that gatifloxacin possesses proconvulsant and anxiogenic effects but it does not have an effect on mood and memory. Besides, long term administration of gatifloxacin for 14 days was found to reduce grip strength indicating its movement impairing effect in mice.