Anticonvulsant and neurotoxicity evaluation of new bromophthalimido-butyryl hydrazones

A new series of N-aryl/alkylidene-4-(5-bromo-1,3-dioxo-1,3-dihydro-2H- isoindol-2-yl) butanoyl hydrazones (4a-I) were synthesized and evaluated for their anticonvulsant activity in MES test according to the protocols of Antiepileptic Drug Development (ADD) programme of National Institute of Health (NIH, Bethesda, USA). The most active compounds of the series were 4f and 4i at the dose of 30 mg/kg (i.p.) 0.5 hr, after administration. In neurotoxic screen (NT), all the compounds were found to be devoid of neurotoxicity at 30 mg/kg (i.p.).