Is Adenosine an Endogenous Anticonvulsant?

Summary: The anticonvulsant properties of adenosine were tested pharmacologically on amygdala‐kindled seizure activity in rats. The adenosine analogue 2‐chloroadenosine and the adenosine uptake blocker papaverine both increased the latency to behavioral clonus as well as reduced the duration and severity of the clonic motor convulsion. Both drugs, however, failed to alter the postkindling afterdischarge (AD) threshold. Theophylline, an adenosine antagonist, had the opposite effects, prolonging the AD and motor seizure durations and facilitating partially kindled seizures, but again not altering the prekindling or postkindling AD thresholds of amygdala‐elicited seizures. In contrast, carbamazepine raised AD thresholds, suggesting that it does not produce its anticonvulsant effects through adenosine systems. Since endogenous adenosine can impede seizure spread and seizure continuation, but does not affect seizure initiation from the amygdala, perhaps endogenous adenosine has the special property of being brought into play as an anticonvulsant only by the seizure itself.