Abstrakt: |
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures. There has been a considerable interest in the development of many antiepileptic and anticonvulsant agents for controlling epilepsy with fewer side effects and improvement of quality of life. Since the terms antiepileptics /anticonvulsants are used interchangeably, this article reviews their classification according to the chemical structure into: hydantoins, oxazolidinediones, succinimides, barbiturates, amides, benzodiazepines, valproic acid and its derivatives, GABAanalogues, cycloalkanes, semicarbazones, butyrolactones (GBLs), imidaquinazolines and pyrrolidine derivatives as well as miscellaneous compounds. In addition, the review discusses the different mechanisms of action of antiepileptic and anticonvulsant agents. |