Evaluation of Convulsive Potential of Some Fluoroquinolones in Albino Rats

Abstract

Fluoroquinolones are broad-spectrum antimicrobials with central nervous system (CNS) adverse effects like dizziness, anxiety, and seizures. There is little comparative data available concerning the convulsant activity of the individual fluoroquinolones.
This study aimed to compare the proconvulsant activity of Ciprofloxacin, Pefloxacin, Sparfloxacin and Lomefloxacin in rats by determining the maximal electroshock seizure (MES) and minimal electroshock threshold (MET) models.
Ciprofloxacin 100 mg/kg, i.p. and pefloxacin, sparfloxacin, and lomefloxacin 60 mg/kg, i.p. were administered 1 hour prior to testing to adult albino rats. The tonic extensor phase was regarded as proconvulsant activity in the MES model. A decrease in seizure threshold of 3 mA was regarded as a positive response in MET model. Student's unpaired t-test and Fisher's exact test were used for data analysis.
All fluoroquinolones had proconvulsant effects. In the MES model, pefloxacin produced the greatest increase in tonic extensor duration (28.16 ± 1.26 s; p < 0.001), followed by ciprofloxacin (19.50 ± 1.14 s; p < 0.01). The smaller but significant effects (p<0.05) were observed for sparfloxacin and lomefloxacin. Ciprofloxacin (5/6 animals) and pefloxacin (4/6 animals) significantly reduced seizure threshold in the MET model, while sparfloxacin and lomefloxacin did not.
All the fluoroquinolones tested exhibited proconvulsant effects, with pefloxacin and ciprofloxacin exhibiting the highest proconvulsant effects. These results help to justify the use of fluoroquinolones with caution in patients with epilepsy or seizure disorder.