Strychnine seizure control

Treatment of strychnine poisoning involves an oral administration of an activated charcoal which absorbs any unabsorbed poison within the digestive tract. Unabsorbed strychnine can be removed from the stomach by gastric lavage with tannic acid (strong tea) or potassium permanganate solutions to oxidize strychnine. Seizures are controlled by anticonvulsants, such as phenobarbital or diazepam, along... 

Strychnine is an alkaloid grain that is absorbed when eaten by the animal. It attacks the CNS by antagonizing the action of glycine, an amino acid responsible for transmitting inhibitory nerve impulses that control muscle contraction. In addition, there is evidence of an increase in brain levels of glutamic acid, an amino acid that acts as a transmitter for excitatory nerve impulses that excite muscle contraction. As a result, the skeletal muscles become hyperexcitable and contract simultaneously without the normal restraints this is called a convulsion or seizure. Convulsions prevent respiration, a process that depends on a controlled rhythm of contraction and relaxation, causing the animal to suffocate. 

Additionally, the kava resin and purified dihydromethysticin, when tested for anticonvulsant activity in humans, provided some control of grand mal seizures in one trial (Pfeiffer etal., 1979). However, other workers (Jamieson etal., 1989) found that the anticonvulsant effect of the aqueous extract against strychnine was very slight. From this and other observations it appears that many of the pharmacological effects of kava appear to be mainly due to the activity of the compounds present in the lipid soluble resin fraction. 

Phenobarbital is indicated as a hypnotic agent for the shortterm treatment of insomnia, as an anticonvulsant in the treatment of partial and generalized tonic-clonic and cortical focal seizures and in emergency control of certain acute convulsive episodes (e.g., those associated with status epi-lepticus, eclampsia, tetanus, and toxic reactions to strychnine or local anesthetics). 

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