Dihydropyridine group of calcium channel antagonist in epilepsy

Effects of intraperitoneally administered dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker-nifedipine (NIF) 5 mg/kg and diphenylhydantoin (DPH) 5 mg/kg were studied on hippocampal kindling and maximum electro shock thresholds (MEST). All the NIF injected rats showed complete suppression of behavioral seizure after the 3rd injection. Few of the DPH rats had increased epileptic activity for two days and others--absence of Grade--5 seizure after the 5th DPH injection. However, all showed partial seizure suppression subsequently. Neither NIF nor DPH could suppress the after discharge (AD). MEST were not affected by NIF although DPH showed a complete suppression of posterior limb extensor tone in all the rats.