Effects of uridine on kindling

The anticonvulsant effect of the nucleoside uridine has been studied for several decades with controversial results. One of its attractive properties is that as a natural endogenous molecule, it lacks the serious side effects of common antiepileptic drugs used today. In the current study, we examined the potential antiepileptogenic effect of uridine in the hippocampal kindling model, using once-daily stimulations. Uridine was administered once or three times daily; levetiracetam was administered as a positive control; and normal saline was used as a negative control. Rats receiving uridine or levetiracetam had slower kindling rates and shorter afterdischarge durations than the normal saline controls. These results are consistent with previous work using a rapid kindling model and suggest that uridine has antiepileptogenic properties. Because of its combination of low toxicity and efficacy, uridine is a possible candidate for the treatment of epilepsy.