TREATMENT OF EXPERIMENTAL STATUS EPILEPTICUS WITH THE GABA UPTAKE INHIBITOR, TIAGABINE

The potential clinical efficacy of tiagabine for control of status epi lepticus was evaluated in an experimental model. Tiagabine was adminis tered to cobalt-lesioned rats in which status epilepticus was induced by injection of homocysteine thiolactone. Tiagabine was effective in c ontrolling status epilepticus in this model; the median effective dose for control of generalized tonic-clonic seizures in the model was 8.3 mg/kg. Tiagabine administration produced an abnormal, hypo-reactive b ehavioral state which was accompanied by an EEG pattern of high-amplit ude, frontally dominant, rhythmic, 3-5-Hz spike-wave activity. This EE G and behavioral syndrome could be reproduced by administration of tia gabine to normal, non-epileptic rats. The exact nature of this syndrom e remains unclear, but whether it is an epileptic or encephalopathic p henomenon, further study is clearly required before this drug should b e considered for use in the treatment of human status epilepticus.