Idelalisib, a Selective Phosphatidylinositol-3-Kinase Inhibitor, Suppresses Pentylenetetrazole-Induced Convulsions in Wistar Rats

Epilepsy results from abnormal brain function and is one of the most common neurological diseases in the world. The phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway has been extensively studied in epilepsy pathogenesis. Idelalisib (IDE) is a selective inhibitor of PI3K. In the present study, IDE was evaluated for its potential to reduce convulsions caused by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). Male Wistar rats (200-250 g, 8 weeks old) were injected intraperitoneally (IP) with IDE at different doses of 40 and 80 mg/kg, or vehicle 30 min prior to PTZ (70 mg/kg, IP) treatment. Racine's scale was used to measure behavioral seizures. The results showed that pretreatment with IDE decreased the seizure stages according to the Racine scale, significantly prolonged the duration of general tonic-clonic seizure (GTCS) and reduced the number of myoclonic jerks (p < 0.05). In conclusion, we found that the PI3K antagonist IDE had a reducing effect on PTZ-induced seizures, suggesting that inhibition of the PI3K signaling pathway by IDE exerts an anticonvulsant effect.