RETRACTED ARTICLE: Cromakalim, a Potassium Channel Opener, Ameliorates Organophosphate- and Carbamate-Induced Seizures in Mice

[Background]Organophosphates (OPs) and carbamates are acetylcholine esterase inhibitors (AChEIs), which can cause seizure and death. The anticonvulsant properties of potassium channel openers, including cromakalim, have been determined in previous studies.[Methods]In the present experiment, the possible effects of cromakalim on convulsion and death, induced by OPs and carbamates, were studied in mice. Dichlorvos as an OP compound (50 mg/kg) and physostigmine as a carbamate (2 mg/kg) were used to induce seizure in animals.[Results]Cromakalim was injected at doses of 0.1, 10, and 30 µg/kg at 30 minutes before dichlorvos and physostigmine administration and 5 minutes before glibenclamide (a potassium channel blocker, 1 mg/kg) administration. All injections were performed intraperitoneally. Following that, the onset of convulsion, death, severity of seizure, and rate of mortality were investigated. The results showed that both dichlorvos and physostigmine induced seizure activity and death in 100% of the animals. Cromakalim at doses of 0.1, 10, and 30 µg/kg significantly increased the latency of both seizure and death (P < 0.05). In addition, cromakalim decreased mortality induced by dichlorvos and physostigmine (P < 0.05). On the other hand, glibenclamide blocked all the anticonvulsant effects of cromakalim (P < 0.05).[Conclusions]This study, for the first time, revealed that cromakalim (an ATP-sensitive potassium channel opener) decreases the rates of seizure and death induced by dichlorvos and physostigmine in mice and presents a new opportunity to manage patients with OP- or carabamate-induced seizures.