PURPOSE Compulsory generic substitution of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) may lead to adverse effects in epilepsy patients because of seizure recurrence or increased toxicity. The study objectives were (a) to quantify and compare the switchback rates from generic to brand-name AEDs versus non-AEDs, and (b) to assess clinical implications of switching from branded Lamictal to generic lamotrigine (LT...

AIM To characterize the effects of lamotrigine on QT interval in healthy subjects. METHODS Healthy subjects received a single oral dose of moxifloxacin (400 mg) or placebo in crossover design, followed by a dose-escalating regimen of lamotrigine (n = 76) over a 77-day period, or matched placebo (n = 76). Blood samples were taken for determination of moxifloxacin and lamotrigine concentrations...

BACKGROUND Various anticonvulsant medications have been associated with paradoxical aggravation of epileptic seizures in therapeutic doses and toxic concentrations. Lamotrigine has been reported to exacerbate seizures and myoclonic seizures in generalized epilepsy in a child with localization-related epilepsy. OBJECTIVE To describe lamotrigine intoxication paradoxically producing status epile...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE It has been reported that taking antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) may increase the risk of atherosclerosis. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the carotid artery intima-media thickness (CA-IMT) as a surrogate factor for atherosclerosis in epileptic patients. METHODS We searched NCBI (PubMed), ISI Web of Knowledge, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases for studies o...

The anticonvulsant drug lamotrigine has been shown to produce antidepressant effects in patients with bipolar disorder. To date, only a few preclinical studies have been conducted using lamotrigine treatment in the forced swim test (FST), an animal model of depression with low face validity. The underlying mechanisms by which lamotrigine works have not been well characterized either. This study...

OBJECTIVE To determine the safety of lamotrigine rechallenge after a first episode of skin rash in bipolar patients. METHOD An open cases prospective study was conducted with patients who, developed a skin rash when first treated with lamotrigine, were refractory to other treatments, and were offered lamotrigine rechallenge using a different dose titration. Additionally a review was performed...

The concept of the bipolar-spectrum and of mixed features being a bridge between major depressive disorders and bipolar disorders (BDs) has become increasingly important in mood-disorder diagnoses. Under these circumstances, antidepressants (ADs) and mood stabilizers (MSs) should be used with caution in the treatment of major depressive episodes (MDEs) and to obtain long-term stability in BDs. ...

Haematological side effects are rather exceptional with lamotrigine. We report the case of a 25-year-old woman with epilepsy who developed combined leucopenia and thrombocytopenia eight weeks after starting lamotrigine. Within weeks after lamotrigine was discontinued, all of the haematopoietic abnormalities had disappeared. To our knowledge, this is the first report of combined leucopenia and t...

OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to evaluate the beneficial degree of sexual behavior in male rats after inducement of onion and ginger in lamotrigine receiving groups. MATERIAL AND METHODS Wistar rats (n=70) (male=35, female=35) were allocated so that males were divided into seven groups: control (n=5) and test groups (n=35). Control group used normal Saline (3 cc for each rat). La...

Comment. The association between TEN and the use of lamotrigine in patients has been previously reported with concomitant use of valproic acid and lamotrigine. It has been hypothesized that valproic acid may interfere with the metabolism of lamotrigine, leading to increased lamotrigine blood levels. Our patient acquired TEN as a result of lamotrigine being concomitantly used with carbamazepine....