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The Anticonvulsant Effects of Vitamin E: A Further Evaluation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2015

Sheldon L. Levy ,
W.M. Burnham ,
A. Bishai  and
Paul A. Hwang
Sheldon L. Levy
Affiliation:
Division of Neurology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto
W.M. Burnham*
Affiliation:
Department of Phannacology, University of Toronto, Toronto
A. Bishai
Affiliation:
Department of Phannacology, University of Toronto, Toronto
Paul A. Hwang
Affiliation:
Division of Neurology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto
*
Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8
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Abstract:

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Vitamin E (d-α-tocopherol) has proven to be a useful adjunct to anticonvulsant drugs in clinical studies. Improvement has occurred even in patients with complex partial seizures, which are often resistant to drug therapy. In animals, vitamin E is effective against ferrous chloride seizures, hyperbaric oxygen seizures and penicillin-induced seizures. It has failed, however, to show anticonvulsant effects in the standard animal models used for drug screening – the maximal electroshock and threshold pentylenetetrazol tests. The present experiments were designed to further explore the anti-epileptic actions of vitamin E in animals. Three models related to complex partial epilepsy were used: 1) the development of amygdala-kindled seizures; 2) the development of electrically-induced status in kindled animals; and 3) the development of kainic-acid seizures. Vitamin E failed to produce significant effects in any of the models.

Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 19 , Issue 2 , May 1992 , pp. 201 - 203
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation 1992

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