TRPV1 mediates the anticonvulsant effects of acetaminophen in mice.

OBJECTIVE: Acetaminophen is one of the most commonly used analgesic and antipyretic drugs. It has been reported that acetaminophen has anticonvulsant effects in several animal models of seizure. An active metabolite of acetaminophen, AM404, inhibits the uptake of the endocannabinoid anandamide. However, the mechanism of the anticonvulsant effect of acetaminophen is unknown.

METHODS: This study was performed to examine whether or not acetaminophen can protect against pentylenetetrazol-induced kindling in mice and to investigate the precise mechanisms of the anticonvulsant effect of acetaminophen using the fully kindled mouse models.

RESULTS: Repeated administration of acetaminophen significantly delayed the progression of seizure severity induced by pentylenetetrazol. Additionally, acetaminophen showed a dose-dependent anticonvulsant activity against fully pentylenetetrazol-kindled seizures. AM404 also exhibited a dose-dependent anticonvulsant activity in fully kindled animals. The anticonvulsant activity of acetaminophen was antagonized by capsazepine and AMG9810, two transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV1) antagonists. However, the transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) antagonist HC030031 and CB1 receptor antagonist AM251 had no effect.

CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that acetaminophen has an anticonvulsant effect in pentylenetetrazol-kindled mouse models and TRPV1 mediates the anticonvulsant action.