Interactions between angiotensin II, GABA and diazepam in convulsive seizures

Abstract In experiments on male mice, we studied the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), angiotensin II (AT II), administered intracerebroventricularly, diazepam, injected intraperitoneally, and combinations of GABA + AT II and diazepam + AT II on convulsive seizures induced by pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) (80 mg/kg subcutaneously) and 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3-MPA) (40 mg/kg intraperitoneally). The anticonvulsant effects of GABA and diazepam on PTZ-induced seizures were increased by AT II in doses which did not significantly influence seizures. AT II applied together with GABA or diazepam in ineffective doses provoked a strong anticonvulsant effect on both PTZ- and 3-MPA-induced seizures. These results indicate that the anticonvulsant effects of GABA and diazepam on PTZ- and 3-MPA-induced seizures might effectively be potentiated by the octapeptide AT II. It is suggested that AT II operates as an endocoid acting on GABA, respectively benzodiazepine recognition sites in the CNS.