Objective: 

Focal application of penicillin may cause seizures in rodents. Levetiracetam is a novel antiepileptic drug. It possesses anticonvulsant activity in animal models of epilepsy. Carnosine is a naturally occuring dipeptide in mammalian tissues. Animal studies have shown that carnosine can affect neurological function and can protect against penicilin-induced seizures in rats. In the present study we aimed to investigate the effects of carnosine and levetiracetam combination in penicillin epilepsy.

Methods: 

Wistar albino rats weighing 200–250g were divided into four groups. Left somatomotor cortex of the animals was opened under urethane anesthesia Group I received 500 IU Penicillin G intracerebroventricularly. Group II, III and IV received levetiracetam (40 mg/kg), carnosine (500mg/kg) and levetiracetam-carnosine combination intraperitoneally 30 minutes before penicilin application. Electrocorticogram recording was taken for 180 minutes.

Results: 

The data analysis was performed using One-way ANOVA and Post-Hoc Tukey test. Levetiracetam reduced spike frequencies in epileptic activity (p<0.05). Spike frequencies decreased (p<0.05) when carnosine was applied. Phenytoin and carnosine combination reduced spike frequencies too (p<0.05) but no significant difference was seen between the combination and the single use of the drugs.

Conclusions: 

According to these results, it was concluded that there was no synergetic interaction between carnosine and levetiracetam.