Pro-convulsant effect of cefazolin sodium against pentylenetetrazol- or picrotoxin-induced convulsions in mice

Abstract

Cefazolin injection (3000 mg/kg, iv) in mice showed several behavioral excitations such as wild running, jumping, rolling, and finally undergoing severe convulsions followed by death. It’s lower doses (500-2000 mg/kg, iv) were unable to produce any convulsions or behavioral excitations in mice. However, cefazolin (500 or 1000 mg/kg, i.v.) when administered before different doses of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ; 40 or 60 mg/kg, ip) or picrotoxin (PTX; 4 or 8 mg/kg, ip.), it produced severe tonic-clonic convulsions in mice. The convulsions or behavioral excitations produced by 3000 mg/kg, iv cefazolin was also reversed by different doses of diazepam (0.5-2 mg/kg, ip) further proving the GABAergic modulatory effect of cefazolin. The results conclude the pro-convulsant action of cefazolin on PTZ- or PTX-induced convulsions, and further confirm the clinical reports