Effects of clobazam on amygdaloid and hippocampal kindled seizures in rats.

The effect of clobazam, a 1,5-benzodiazepine, on kindling seizures was compared with the effects of 1,4-benzodiazepines, diazepam and bromazepam, in amygdaloid and hippocampal kindled rats. After kindled seizures were established (stage 5 seizure), the test drugs were administered intraperitoneally. In amygdaloid kindled rats, clobazam significantly suppressed the motor seizures (MS) at doses of 20 and 50 mg/kg and significantly shortened the duration of after-discharge (AD) at doses of 10 to 50 mg/kg. Diazepam at doses of 2 to 10 mg/kg and bromazepam at 1 to 5 mg/kg also significantly suppressed the MS and significantly shortened the duration of AD. Similar suppressive effects by these three benzodiazepines were observed in hippocampal kindled rats. From these results, clobazam was found to have a qualitatively similar but weaker anticonvulsive effect than those of 1,4-benzodiazepines.