Antiseizure properties of new selenobenzimidazole derivatives: A pre-clinical study in a neonatal model of epilepsy.

This study aimed to evaluate the anti-seizure potential of new selenobenzimidazole compounds and identify their potential molecular targets. The primary research question was whether these novel benzimidazolic derivatives could effectively control seizures and mitigate their severity. The research combined an in vivo animal model of neonatal epilepsy with in silico molecular target prediction. The anti-seizure effects of several selenobenzimidazole compounds were tested by administering them at different doses and measuring their impact on seizure latency and severity. Four of the evaluated compounds demonstrated a positive, dose-dependent increase in the latency to seizure onset. The compound with a chlorine substituent was particularly effective. Another compound, which contains a trifluoromethyl group, significantly reduced overall seizure severity. The in silico analysis predicted that the compounds likely interact with the GluN1 and GluN2B subunits of the NMDA receptor. The results indicate that the new selenobenzimidazoles represent a promising chemical class for developing anticonvulsant drugs. Their efficacy and predicted interaction with NMDA receptor targets, which are implicated in epileptic encephalopathies, support their potential for future anti-seizure drug development.