Influence of cinromide on metrazol--induced seizures during ontogenesis in rats

The effects of cinromide on two types of metrazol-induced seizures were studied in 236 male rats aged 7, 12, 18, 25 and 90 days. Cinromide was administered intraperitoneally in a dose of 25 or 50 mg.kg-1 30 min before a subcutaneous injection of metrazol. Major, i.e. generalized tonic-clonic seizures could be elicited by metrazol in all age groups. Cinromide was efficient against this type of seizures at all developmental stages, but its action in 7- and especially in 12-day-old rat pups was less marked than in older animals. Minimal metrazol seizures (predominantly clonic) could be reliably elicited since the age of 18 days. Cinromide was also able to suppress this type of seizures, but in adult rats the dose of 75 mg.kg-1 had to be administered because even the 50 mg.kg-1 dose was not sufficient. Quantitative changes of the antimetrazol action of cinromide were demonstrated during maturation in rats.