Epileptogenic activity induced by intravenous injection of certain cephalosporins in rats

Epileptogenic activity induced by intravenous injection of certain cephalosporin derivatives was studied. Ceftezole provided the most potent epileptogenic activity among the drugs tested. Changes in seizure patterns on electroencephalogram (EEG) tracings and behavioral signs after administration of cefotiam and cefazolin were similar to those seen after ceftezole, though the intensity and duration were less than those of ceftezole. Cephacetrile and cephaloridine elicited the spiking activity in the frontal cortex and the other regions without apparent behavioral changes. Latamoxef and cefmenoxime displayed a weak epileptogenic activity at a dose of 1000 mg/kg. On the other hand, cephapirin, cefmetazole and cefoxitin did not evoke any changes in EEG nor in behavior. Penicillin G at a dose of 200 mg/kg affected spike or spike-and-wave complex in a few cases, but at a dose of 500 mg/kg the animals died of dyspnea almost immediately after injection without showing apparent epileptogenic signs. These results suggest that some of cephalosporins such as ceftezole, cefotiam, cephacetrile and cefazolin provide epileptogenic activity at higher doses.