Interactions among Lacosamide and Second-Generation Antiepileptic Drugs in the Tonic-Clonic Seizure Model in Mice

Int J Mol Sci. 2021 May 24;22(11):5537. doi: 10.3390/ijms22115537.

Abstract

Combination therapy with two or three antiseizure medications (ASMs) is sometimes a preferred method of treatment in epilepsy patients. (1) Background: To detect the most beneficial combination among three ASMs, a screen test evaluating in vivo interactions with respect to their anticonvulsant properties, was conducted on albino Swiss mice; (2) Methods: Classification of interactions among lacosamide (LCM) and selected second-generation ASMs (lamotrigine (LTG), pregabalin (PGB), oxcarbazepine (OXC), and topiramate (TPM)) was based on the isobolographic analysis in the mouse maximal electroshock-induced seizure (MES) model. Interactions among LCM and second-generation ASMs were visualized using a polygonogram; (3) Results: In the mouse MES model, synergy was observed for the combinations of LCM + TPM + PGB and LCM + OXC + PGB. Additivity was reported for the other combinations tested i.e., LCM + LTG + TPM, LCM + LTG + PGB, LCM + LTG + OXC, and LCM + OXC + TPM in this seizure model. No adverse effects associated with triple ASM combinations, containing LCM and second-generation ASMs were observed in mice; (4) Conclusions: The combination of LCM + TPM + PGB was the most beneficial combination among the tested in this study, offering synergistic suppression of tonic-clonic seizures in mice subjected to the MES model. Both the isobolographic analysis and polygonogram method can be recommended for experimental epileptology when classifying interactions among the ASMs.

Keywords: antiseizure medication; drug–drug interaction; isobolographic analysis; lacosamide; maximal electroshock-induced seizures; polygonogram.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anticonvulsants / adverse effects
  • Anticonvulsants / therapeutic use*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drug Interactions
  • Drug Synergism
  • Drug Therapy, Combination / methods*
  • Electroshock
  • Epilepsy / drug therapy*
  • Lacosamide / adverse effects
  • Lacosamide / therapeutic use*
  • Lamotrigine / adverse effects
  • Lamotrigine / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Oxcarbazepine / adverse effects
  • Oxcarbazepine / therapeutic use
  • Pregabalin / adverse effects
  • Pregabalin / therapeutic use
  • Seizures / drug therapy*
  • Topiramate / adverse effects
  • Topiramate / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants
  • Topiramate
  • Pregabalin
  • Lacosamide
  • Lamotrigine
  • Oxcarbazepine