This document discusses drugs used to treat epilepsy and seizures. It defines epilepsy and describes different types including grand mal, petit mal, temporal lobe, and cortical lobe epilepsy. Causes include excessive neuronal discharging and impaired GABA activity. Drugs discussed include hydantoin, barbiturates, oxazolidinediones, benzodiazepines, and suxinimides. Hydantoin stabilizes membranes and inhibits seizure spread. Barbiturates raise seizure threshold. Oxazolidinediones and suxinimides are used specifically for petit mal epilepsy. Benzodiazepines decrease neuronal activity. Status epilepsy requires emergency treatment with diazepam, phenobarbital, phenyto

1. 2. DRUGS ACTING ON CNS
F) EPILEPSY AND ANTI-CONVULSANTS
Prepared by – Mr. Digambar Jadhav ( M.Pharm)
HOD
Padmini College of Pharmacy,
Dighanchi.

2. Video of Epilepsy

3.  EPILEPSY :
 Def : - “ Epilepsy is chronic convulsive disorder
characterized by sudden loss or impairment of
consciousness, usually but not always with
characteristic body movements and sometimes with
hyper autonomic activity.”

4.  TYPES OF EPILEPSY :
1. Grandmal epilepsy / Major epilepsy :
 Characterized by sudden loss of consciousness and
convulsion with tonic spasm & clonic jerking of body
 Attacks can occur at any age.
2. Petitmal epilepsy :
 Characterized by episodes of impairment of
consciousness associated with bilateral clonic motor
activity such as eye lid blinking.
3. Temporal lobe epilepsy
4. Cortical lobe epilepsy
5. Hyps arrhythmia

5.  CAUSES OF EPILEPSY :
 Occasional, sudden, excessive, rapid, local discharging
of gray matter.
 Epilepsy is co-related with impairment activity of
inhibitory GABA ( gamma-amino-butyric-acid )

6.  CLASSIFICATION
Sr.
No
Types of Epilepsy Group Name Drugs
1 Grandmal epilepsy Barbiturate
Hydantoin
Phenobarbitone
Mephobarbitone
Phynatoin
Methoin
2 Petitmal epilepsy Oxazolidinedion dr.
Succinimides
Trimethadione
Paramethadione
Ethosuximide
Methosuximide
3 Status epilepsy Miscellaneous Diazepam
Sodium valproate

7. 1. HYDANTOIN
 It is primary drug used in treatment of epilepsy.
 It inhibits spread of seizure discharges in the brain and
shortens the duration and amplification of synaptic
potential after discharge.
 It stabilizes the excitable neuronal membrane.
 Onset of action is very slow but action persist for
sufficient time
 Mani drawback of drug is hyperplasia, hypertrophy of
gums.

8. 1. HYDANTOIN
 Preparations :
 Therapeutic uses :
 It is used to treat :-
Grandmal epilepsy
Psychomotor epilepsy
Focal cortical epilepsy
Drug Trade name Dose
Phenytoin Dilantin 150mg/day

9. 2. BARBITURATES
 Reduces spread of seizure activity
 Raises seizure threshold
 Barbiturates are sedative and hence potentiates
inhibitory pathway of GABA
 Nystagmus, ataxia, megaloblastic anemia are
common side effects.

10. 2. BARBITURATES
 Preparations :
 Therapeutic uses :
 It is used to treat :-
Grandmal epilepsy
Petitmal epilepsy
Drug Trade name Dose
Phenobarbital Luminal 50, 100 mg Orally
Mephobarbital Mebaral 400mg Orally
Primidone Mysolin 250mg Orally

11. 3.OXAZOLIDINEDIONE DERIVATIVES :
 Oxazolidinedione derivatives likes trimethadione,
paramethadione are specifically used in the treatment of
petiptal epilepsy.
 Sedation and blurring of vision are common side effects.
 Preparations :
Drug Trade name Dose
Trimethadione Traxidone 900mg daily
Paramethadione Paradione 300mg/day

12. 4. BENZODIAZEPINES :
 These agents prevents polysynaptic activity in
spinal cord.
 These agents thereby decrease neuronal activity in
reticular system.
 Preparations :
Drug Trade name Dose
Diazepam Valium 30mg/day
Clonazepam Clonopin 20mg/day

13. 5. SUXINIMIDES :
 These are less toxic than oxazolidindiones, hence
preferably used in the treatment of petitmal
epilepsy.
 Raises seizure threshold.
 Preparations :
Drug Trade name Dose
Ethosuximide Zarontin 500 mg, Oral
Mthsuximide Celontin 500 mg, Oral

14.  STATUS EPILEPSY :
 It is medical emergency characterized by repeated
grandmal attacks without recovery of consciousness in
between two attacks.
 Drug therapy :
Diazepam Intravenous – 10mg
Phenobarbital Intravenous – 250mg
Phenytoin Intravenous injection 250mg
Chlormethizole Intravenous infusion 0.8% solution
80drops / minute
Paraldehyde 0.1 ml/kg Intramuscular