MACROCYTIC anamia, associated with a megaloblastic erythropoiesis, glossitis, weight loss, diarrhcra, and an absence of neurological symptoms or signs and of evidence of deficiency of vitamin B12 are usually accepted as the features of deficiency of folic acid or related pteroylglutamate compounds. Such an assumption is based on the clinical and hxematological remission induced by the administr...

Increased cytokine production possibly due to oxidative stress has repeatedly been shown to play a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of epilepsy and bipolar disorder. Recent in vitro and animal studies of valproic acid (VPA) report antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, and suppression of interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. We tested the effect of drugs with antiepi...

This study quantifies the economic burden associated with generic-versus-branded use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in the United States. Adult patients with epilepsy receiving carbamazepine, gabapentin, phenytoin, primidone, or zonisamide were selected from the PharMetrics database. By use of an open-cohort design, patients were classified into mutually exclusive periods of generic-versus-brand...

A rapid method for simultaneously determining the anticonvulsant drugs carbamazepine, ethosuximide, phenobarbitone, phenytoin, primidone, and valproic acid is described. Blank plus single-point calibration gives reliable quantitation from therapeutic to high fatal concentrations, except for ethosuximide, for which it gives semiquantitative results. Whole blood and liver tissue samples containin...

The story began on 11th May 1857 when Charles Locock commented in the Lancet on his use of potassium bromide in 15 cases of "hysterical" epilepsy in young women. The next development was the serendipitous discovery of the anticonvulsant properties of phenobarbital by Alfred Hauptmann in 1912. This predated by more than 20 years the screening of potential therapeutic agents against "electrical s...

The present study has been directed to investigate Ursodeoxycholic Acid (UDCA) effect in children, to reduce the high Liver transaminases induced by Anticonvulsant drugs (drug induced hepatitis). This idea has been driven from Cytoprotective and antioxidant properties of UDCA to be used in drug induced inflammation in Liver. Twenty two epileptic patients aged between 4 mo - 3 yr whom were under...

The interaction of the perimidone drug in solution state with the σ-acceptor iodine, the aliphatic π-acceptor tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) and the aromatic π-acceptor 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ) have been studied through the initial formation of ionic intermediate to charge transfer (CT) complex in methanol at room temperature. The spectral studies of the complexes were determi...

BACKGROUND The aim of drug treatment for epilepsy is to prevent seizures without causing adverse effects. To achieve this, drug dosages need to be individualised. Measuring antiepileptic drug levels in body fluids (therapeutic drug monitoring) is frequently used to optimise drug dosage for individual patients. OBJECTIVES To review the evidence regarding the effects of therapeutic drug monitor...

Folate transport to the brain depends on ATP-driven folate receptor-mediated transport across choroid plexus epithelial cells. Failure of ATP production in Kearns-Sayre syndrome syndrome provides one explanation for the finding of low spinal fluid (CSF) 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5MTHF) levels in this condition. Therefore, we suspect the presence of reduced folate transport across the blood-spin...

Many drugs may produce a syndrome closely resembling spontaneous systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Those most commonly implicated are hydrallazine, isoniazid, and procainamide. Drugs less commonly implicated include the following. Antimicrobials-sulphonamides, penicillins, tetracycline, strepto-`mycin, and para-amino salicylic acid; Antithyroid drugs-methylthiouracil and propylthiouracil; Ant...