Effects of anticonvulsant agents and ethanol on the complexes of epileptic foci created by applications of bicuculline, strychnine, and penicillin in the rat brain cortex

Anticonvulsive effects of direct agonists of the GABA receptor system, medinal and phenazepam, as well as ethanol, on the complexes of epileptic foci created in the rat brain cortex by applications of various convulsant agents (bicuculline, strychnine, or penicillin) were studied. Ethanol, as well as phenazepam and medinal, were shown to possess high anti-epileptic activity in relation to the complexes. It was shown, using an i.v. infusion technique, that threshold doses of strychnine and bicuculline depend, in a linear and a nonlinear fashion, respectively, on the alcohol doses administered. A specific feature was found in the pharmacolgoical effect of ethanol: anticonvulsive activity of ethanol was pronounced within the postinjection interval from 5 min to 4 h, while within the following interval, from 4 to 24 h, the animals turned into a seizure-ready state. The subseizure phase was observed under the conditions when the penicillin complex was induced, and also following i.v. injections of strychnine and bicuculline.