Anticonvulsant and convulsant properties of flurazepam.

The anticonvulsant efficacy of the benzodiazepine flurazepam was tested in rats treated with a convulsant dose of either picrotoxin or 3-mercaptopropionic acid. Against picrotoxin, a significant anticonvulsant effect was observed in the range of 30-60 mg/kg, i.p. Epileptogenicity increased as doses of flurazepam were increased from 60 to 200 mg/kg, and at a dose of 400 mg/kg all subjects died. In similar tests, the benzodiazepines clonazepam and triazolam produced only dose-dependent increases in anticonvulsant efficacy. Flurazepam also proved to be an effective anticonvulsant in tests against 3-mercaptopropionic acid. The results of this study provide further evidence that benzodiazepines have varying degrees of epileptogenicity.