[Antiepileptic activity of clonazepam--an antiepileptic benzodiazepine derivative]

Clonazepam, an antiepileptic benzodiazepine derivative was administered into 30 patients mainly with incurable type epilepsy. Results were as summarized below: (1) Clonazepam was effective in 44.4% of 36 cases of seizures. The initial effect was noticed in 55.6%. (2) Clonazepam was proved to have a broad spectrum in its efficacy. It showed the highest rate of effectiveness, 71.4%, on psychomotor seizures. (3) Clonazepam was effective in all 4 cases of the photogenic epilepsy which shows the photosensitivity in the EEG. With the exception of 1 case, the sensitivity in the EEG also disappeared responding to clonazepam. (4) The Jacksonian type of the partial motor seizure disappeared in 2 cases after the administration with clonazepam. (5) The effects of clonazepam of EEG were examined in 24 patients. The abnormality of the basic activity, the diffuse epileptic discharge and the focal epileptic discharge were improved in 29.2%, 61.5% and 66.7%, respectively. In addition, the rate of the clinical effectiveness was high in the cases with the centrencephalic discharge. (6) Side effects were observed to have appeared in 38.9% of the patients. They were mostly drowsiness and ataxia. (7) Based on the above-mentioned results, it can be claimed that clonazepam is effective on psychomotor seizures, photogenic epilepsy and the secondary type of generalized convulsion (Jacksonian).