Anticonvulsant profile of an anesthetic steroid

The synthetic steroids alphaxalone and alphadolone are combined for use as a veterinary anesthetic and marked under the trade name Saffan. This study evaluated the anticonvulsant activity of Saffan in 2 rat models of epilepsy: maximal electroshock and subcutaneous pentylenetetrazol seizures. Neurological deficit was tested in each animal just prior to the seizure test to differentiate selective antiepileptic effects from nonselective anticonvulsant or anesthetic activity. In both seizure models Saffan induced anticonvulsant activity only at doses associated with neurological deficit.