Benzyl alcohol suppresses seizures in two different animal models.

Introduction: We have been exploring the effects of dihydroprogesterone in female amygdala-kindled rats. For intraperitoneal (i.p.) time-response studies, we used a vehicle containing the common solvent, benzyl alcohol (BnOH). The vehicle containing BnOH was also tested alone as a control. Method and Results: Unexpectedly, it was found that the vehicle containing BnOH had clear-cut anti-seizure effects in the kindling model, with an ED50 of 100 mg/kg. In a follow-up study, dose- and time-response studies of i.p. BnOH were done in male mice in the maximal pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) model. BnOH suppressed PTZ seizures in a dose-dependent manner, with an ED50 of 300 mg/kg against hindlimb tonic extension. Effects were fully established at 5-min post injection and lasted for an hour. Conclusion: BnOH is not an inert solvent. It has clear-cut anti-seizure effects against both focal and generalized seizures.