In high-dose intake of phenytoin, which is used frequently to treat epilepsy, nystagmus, diplopia, nausea-vomiting, lethargy, confusion, seizure, and coma can be observed. In recent studies on phenytoin intoxication, in which seizure and coma were observed in drug levels greater than 50 ug/mL. The serum phenytoin level of a patient, who consumed approximately 100 pcs of 100 mg phenytoin tablets...

Phenytoin elimination is a saturable process obeying Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Plasma phenytoin levels are not related linearly to dose, and small changes in enzyme activity produced by concurrent drug therapy could alter plasma levels. Two cases of phenytoin intoxication associated with simultaneous administration of diazepam are reported. Intravenous phenytoin infusions were given and the ap...

We measured the concentrations of phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone, ethosuximide, antipyrine, and caffeine in paired samples of saliva and plasma by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer-computer (GC/MS/COM) and enzyme immunoassay. Mixed saliva was collected for the antipyrine and caffeine studies, parotid saliva for the phenobarbital, primidone, ethosuximide and phenytoin studies. The saliva/...

In mice breathing 5% oxygen, pretreatment with the optimal dose of 200 mg/kg of phenytoin increased survival time 123%. This increase was somewhat less than that observed with certain barbiturates using the same model but significantly greater than that observed with diazepam which is more effective than phenytoin in suppressing hypoxemic convulsions in this model. In dogs maintained at an expi...

We evaluated a new homogeneous immunoprecipitation assay for phenytoin in human serum. No sample dilution or pretreatment is required. The new method is based on spectrophotometry of the inhibition by free phenytoin of the precipitating reaction between anti-phenytoin antibody and a phenytoin-human serum albumin conjugate. A serum test sample is simultaneously mixed with the phenytoin-albumin c...

A commercially available substrate-labelled fluorescent immunoassay procedure has been modified to create a simple rapid method for the determination of capillary phenytoin concentration in dried filter paper blood spots of patients on phenytoin therapy. The specimens are collected and dispatched to the laboratory by the patient, thus domiciliary monitoring of phenytoin therapy can take place. ...

To assess the effects of phenytoin sodium on biochemical markers of testicular function. Male Wistar rats (12 weeks old) were treated with phenytoin and sacrificed at the end of 2, 4, 5, 7, 10 and 15 week after the last exposure to phenytoin sodium. The testes were removed, weighed and processed for biochemical analysis. The intratesticular testosterone level was significantly (P<0.001) reduced...

BACKGROUND Topical phenytoin is a powerful skin wounds healing and it may be useful in clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of topical phenytoin 0.5%, by comparing it with cream (control) in wounds resulting from excision of two melanocytic nevi in the same patient. Our purpose was also to assess if phenytoin had better therapeutic and cosmetic outcomes when c...

A 52-year-old African American female presented with severe left thigh pain of unknown etiology. She had a past medical history of generalized seizure disorder treated with phenytoin for 7 years without incident. During admission a nurse witnessed a seizure, and consequently loading and maintenance doses of phenytoin were administered to obtain a therapeutic serum concentration. The patient had...

Brendan P. Lucey, MD A 55-year-old right-handed man started phenytoin after 2 seizures. Four weeks later, he complained of involuntary facial movements. Examination revealed orofacial dyskinesias: eyebrow elevation and lip pursing (video on the Neurology Web site at www. neurology.org). No ataxia, slurred speech, or nystagmus was seen. His phenytoin level was 29.5 mg/L when examined, increased ...