AMINOPHYLLINE EXHIBITS CONVULSANT ACTION IN RATS DURING ONTOGENY

Aminophylline-induced seizures were studied in 166 male albino rats in five age groups - 7, 12, 18, 25 and 90 days old. Aminophylline inject ed in doses from 150-350 mg/kg i.p. elicited both minimal, clonic and major, i.e. generalized tonic-clonic seizures during the 60-min observ ation period. The pattern of minimal seizures did not change during de velopment; major seizures exhibited changes in proportion to their thr ee phases - running, tonic and clonic phases. Dependence on the dose o f aminophylline was observed in the incidence of major seizures as wel l as in shortening of latencies of both types of seizures. More marked convulsant effects of aminophylline in 7-, 12- and 18-day-old rat pup s than in older animals might be due to pharmacokinetic as well as pha rmacodynamic factors.