Acta Pharm. 54 (2004) 49-54

Anticonvulsant activity of Schiff bases of isatin derivatives

MANJUSHA VERMA,¹ SURENDRA NATH PANDEYA,¹ KRISHNA NAND SINGH ^1*
and JAMES P. STABLES²

knsinghbhu@yahoo.co.in

¹Department of Applied Chemistry, Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, India
²Department of Health and Human Service, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Maryland-20892, USA

Schiff bases of N-methyl and N-acetyl isatin derivatives with different aryl amines have been synthesized and screened for anticonvulsant activities against maximal electroshock (MES) and subcutaneous metrazole (ScMet). N-methyl-5-bromo-3-(p-chlorophenylimino) isatin 2 exhibited anticonvulsant activity in MES and ScMet with LD₅₀ > 600 mg kg^-1, showing better activity than the standard drugs phenytoin, carbamazepine and valproic acid. Thus, compound 2 may be chosen as a prototype for development of new anticonvulsants.

Keywords: Schiff base, isatin, anticonvulsant