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Anticonvulsants suppress the excessive rapid firing of neurons during seizures. [6] Anticonvulsants also prevent the spread of the seizure within the brain. [7] Conventional antiepileptic drugs may block sodium channels or enhance γ-aminobutyric acid function. Several antiepileptic drugs have multiple or uncertain mechanisms of action. [8]
Convulsant drugs (the functional opposites of anticonvulsants) will always induce seizures at sufficient doses. Examples of such agents — some of which are used or have been used clinically and others of which are naturally occurring toxins — include strychnine , bemegride , flumazenil , cyclothiazide , flurothyl , pentylenetetrazol ...
A package of topiramate 25mg from Norway. Topiramate is used to treat epilepsy in children and adults, and it was originally used as an anticonvulsant. [19] In children, it is indicated for the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a disorder that causes seizures and developmental delay.
Valproate is known to cause serious abnormalities or birth defects in the unborn child if taken during pregnancy, [7] [8] and is contra-indicated for women of childbearing age unless the drug is essential to their medical condition and the person is also prescribed a contraceptive.
Keppra (levetiracetam) – an anticonvulsant drug which is sometimes used as a mood stabilizer and has potential benefits for other psychiatric and neurologic conditions such as Tourette syndrome, anxiety disorder, and Alzheimer's disease; Klonopin – anti-anxiety and anti-epileptic medication of the benzodiazepine class
Although there are many medications to help prevent seizures, there are still more than 30% of the 70 million people that have drug resistant seizures throughout their life. There are 20% of children that have shown to be pharmacoresistance to trials of multiple antiepileptic drugs.
Convulsions are induced in captive animals, then high doses of anticonvulsant drugs are administered. [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 12 ] For example, kainic acid can lead to status epilepticus in animals as it is a cyclic analog of l-glutamate and an agonist for kainate receptors in the brain which makes it a potent neurotoxin and excitant.
Stiripentol, sold under the brand name Diacomit, is an anticonvulsant medication used for the treatment of Dravet syndrome - a serious genetic brain disorder. [5] [6]The most common side effects include loss of appetite, weight loss, insomnia (difficulty sleeping), drowsiness, ataxia (inability to co‑ordinate muscle movements), hypotonia (low muscle strength) and dystonia (muscle disorders).