EPILEPTOGENIC EFFECT OF ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS

The epileptogenicity of antibiotic drugs represents a clinical problem , and it is well known that the use of penicillin and certain other pr eparations can induce seizures. In the present study, the authors inve stigated the epileptogenic properties of different concentrations of 1 2 commonly used antibiotic medications belonging to seven separate gro ups. The drugs were tested in the hippocampus, which has a low thresho ld for the development of epileptiform activity. The hippocampal slice technique, using rat tissue, was employed since absence of the blood- brain barrier allows administration of the drugs in known concentratio ns. The preparation was exposed to antibiotics in known concentrations and the amplitude and number of population spikes were recorded. Peni cillin G was used as a reference substance. Cloxacillin (greater-than- or-equal-to 1 gm/liter), cephalothin (greater-than-or-equal-to 1 gm/li ter), gentamicin (greater-than-or-equal-to 80 mg/liter), chloramphenic ol (greater-than-or-equal-to 1 gm/liter), ciprofloxacin (greater-than- or-equal-to 50 mg/liter), erythromycin (greater-than-or-equal-to 1 gm/ liter), and ampicillin (greater-than-or-equal-to 1 gm/liter) showed mo derate to marked epileptogenic effects, whereas cefuroxime, clindamyci n, cefotaxime, vancomycin, and tobramycin had no epileptogenic effects .