Dual-Mechanism Antidepressant as a promising Antiepileptic: A Chronic Evaluation of Vilazodone in swiss albino mice

K. Sathishbabu, J. Premalatha, Santosh Kumar, Chakrapani Cheekavolu, Nalinidevi Jayabalan, T. Pradeep, Ponnuswamy T.K
Author(s)
1Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Government medical college hospital, Gandhigramam, Karur, Tamilnadu, India. 2Senior Resident, Department of Pharmacology, Government medical college hospital, Gandhigramam, Karur, Tamilnadu, India. 3Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Mahadevappa Rampure Medical College, Kalaburagi, Karnataka, India. 4Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Anna Gowri Medical College and Hospital, Parameswaramangalam, Puttur, Andhra Pradesh, India. 5Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Karpagam Faculty of Medical Science and Research, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India. 6Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Karpagam Faculty of Medical Science and Research, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India. 7Professor and HOD, Department of Pharmacology, Karpagam Faculty of Medical Science and Research, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India.

Abstract

Background: Epilepsy is a long-lasting neurological ailment defined by repeated seizures caused by irregular neuronal excitability. In spite of numerous antiepileptic treatments, a substantial fraction of patients remains unresponsive or encounters negative reactions. New evidence emphasizes the importance of serotonergic regulation in managing seizures. Vilazodone, which functions as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and a partial agonist at 5-HT1A, could have anticonvulsant capabilities. Objectives: To investigate the anticonvulsant properties of vilazodone in chronic seizure models and contrast its effects with sodium valproate in Swiss albino mice. Material and Methods: A preclinical experimental study was conducted on 36 Swiss albino mice divided into six groups (n=6). Animals received distilled water (control), sodium valproate (40 mg/kg), or vilazodone (1, 2, 5, and 10 mg/kg) orally for 21 days. Models of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and maximum electroshock (MES) were used to produce seizures. Seizure latency (PTZ), seizure duration, and tonic hind limb extension (MES) duration were among the parameters evaluated. Student's t-test was used for statistical analysis; p<0.05 was deemed significant. Results: Vilazodone significantly reduced the duration of tonic hind limb extension in the MES model across all doses (p<0.05), with maximum effect at 10 mg/kg. In the PTZ model, vilazodone significantly decreased seizure duration and increased seizure latency compared to control (p<0.05), showing dose-dependent efficacy, particularly at 5 and 10 mg/kg. Conclusion: Vilazodone demonstrated significant anticonvulsant activity in both chronic MES and PTZ models, likely mediated through enhanced serotonergic neurotransmission. These findings suggest its potential as a repurposed or adjunct antiepileptic agent, warranting further clinical investigation.

Keywords: Vilazodone, Epilepsy, Anticonvulsant, MES model, PTZ model.

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