Abstract

POTENTIATION OF ANTIEPILEPTIC ACTIVITY OF PHENYTOIN USING BETA CAROTENE AGAINST MAXIMAL ELECTROSHOCK INDUCED CONVULSIONS IN MICE

*Chaware Vitthal Jagannath and Biyani Kailash Radheshyam

ABSTRACT

Phenytoin is the mostly used drug for the seizures. However question regarding safety and efficacy of this drug make it particularly compelling to identify adjunct therapy that could boost therapeutic benefit. Study found that one adjunct therapy is beta carotene. The main aim of present study was to evaluate potentiation of antiepileptic activity of Phenytoin by beta carotene in mice against maximal electroshock induced (MES) induced convulsions. In these methods all the animals were divided into sixteen groups & each group consists of six animals. Shock 50mA for 0.2 sec was applied for all groups of mice. Testing drugs doses were randomised within groups of animal in such way that each group was required during a given test series. The results revealed that beta carotene significantly potentiated efficacy of phenytoin but did not exert antiepileptic effect on its own. Alone beta carotene at the dose of 20mg/kg p.o. significantly reduced elevated MDA level in serum. Concurrent administration of phenytoin and beta carotene on serum MDA activity was not differed with alone beta carotene at the dose of 20mg/kg. It is concluded that beta carotene potentiates the antiepileptic activity of phenytoin.

Keywords: Phenytoin, Beta carotene, MES, Seizures.