Evaluation of the anticonvulsant properties of flurbiprofen in pilocarpine-induced convulsions in mice

Background and objective: Flurbiprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), possesses non-selective COX inhibition properties. Some NSAIDs exhibit anticonvulsant effects and provide analgesic benefits for seizure patients. This study aimed to assess the potential anticonvulsant action of flurbiprofen in mice. Methods: Twenty-five mature male mice were divided into five groups for the study. To prevent peripheral cholinergic activation, mice in each group were injected intraperitoneally with atropine sulfate (1 mg/kg) subcutaneously one hour after dosing. Seizures were induced ten minutes later using an intraperitoneal injection of 300 mg/kg of pilocarpine. Following pilocarpine injection, the animals were monitored for 1 hour. Seizure severity was assessed using the Racine scale. Results: Oral administration of flurbiprofen at doses of 0, 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg resulted in a significant decrease in convulsion onset and a substantial reduction in convulsion duration compared to the control group. Flurbiprofen at 20 and 40 mg/kg inhibited seizure scores in pilocarpine-injected mice in a dose-dependent manner. A high dose of flurbiprofen (40 mg/kg) significantly reduced the duration of convulsions, delayed convulsion onset, and decreased seizure scores in mice (p <0.05). Conclusions: Flurbiprofen exhibits significant dose-dependent anticonvulsant activity. Further studies are necessary to determine the primary mechanism of action.