Lesson plan
Convulsant
A convulsant is a drug which induces convulsions or epileptic seizures, the opposite of an anticonvulsant. These drugs generally act as stimulants at low doses, but are not used for this purpose due to poor therapeutic indices. Most convulsants are antagonists (or inverse agonists) at either the GABA A or/and glycine receptors (e.g the pesticide fipronil), or ionotropic glutamate receptor agonists (e.g the marine toxin domoic acid). Many other drugs may cause convulsions as a side effect at high doses (e.g. bupropion, tramadol, pethidine, dextropropoxyphene, clomipramine) but only drugs whose primary action is to cause convulsions are known as convulsants. Nerve agents such as sarin, which were developed as chemical weapons, produce convulsions as a major part of their toxidrome, but also produce a number of other effects in the body and are usually classified separately. Dieldrin which was developed as an insecticide blocks chloride influx into the neurons causing hyperexcitability of the CNS and convulsions. The Irwin observation test and other studies that record clinical signs are used to test the potential for a drug to induce convulsions. Camphor, and other terpenes given to children with colds can act as convulsants (sympathomimetics, piperazine derivatives, theophylline, antihistamines, etc.) in children who have had febrile seizures. __TOC__
Article summary
A convulsant is a drug which induces convulsions or epileptic seizures, the opposite of an anticonvulsant. These drugs generally act as stimulants at low doses, but are not used for this purpose due to poor therapeutic indices. Most convulsants are antagonists (or inverse agonists) at either the GABA A or/and glycine receptors (e.g the pesticide fipronil), or ionotropic glutamate receptor agonists (e.g the marine toxin domoic acid). Many other drugs may cause convulsions as a side effect at high doses (e.g. bupropion, tramadol, pethidine, dextropropoxyphene, clomipramine) but only drugs whose primary action is to cause convulsions are known as convulsants. Nerve agents such as sarin, which were developed as chemical weapons, produce convulsions as a major part of their toxidrome, but also produce a number of other effects in the body and are usually classified separately. Dieldrin which was developed as an insecticide blocks chloride influx into the neurons causing hyperexcitability of the CNS and convulsions. The Irwin observation test and other studies that record clinical signs are used to test the potential for a drug to induce convulsions. Camphor, and other terpenes given to children with colds can act as convulsants (sympathomimetics, piperazine derivatives, theophylline, antihistamines, etc.) in children who have had febrile seizures. __TOC__
Key claims
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.