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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Construction of Vapor Chambers Used to Expose Mice to Alcohol During the Equivalent of all Three Trimesters of Human Development

Construction of Vapor Chambers Used to Expose Mice to Alcohol During the Equivalent of all Three Trimesters of Human Development

Published on: July 13, 2014

Anticonvulsants for alcohol withdrawal.

Silvia Minozzi¹, Laura Amato, Simona Vecchi

¹Department of Epidemiology, ASL RM/E, Via di Santa Costanza, 53, Rome, Italy, 00198.

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

|March 19, 2010

Summary

Anticonvulsants show limited effectiveness for treating alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). While carbamazepine may offer some benefits over benzodiazepines, overall evidence does not strongly support their use in AWS treatment.

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Last Updated: Jun 15, 2026

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Electrophoretic Delivery of γ-aminobutyric Acid (GABA) into Epileptic Focus Prevents Seizures in Mice

Electrophoretic Delivery of γ-aminobutyric Acid (GABA) into Epileptic Focus Prevents Seizures in Mice

Published on: May 16, 2019

Area of Science:

Pharmacology
Addiction Medicine
Clinical Trials

Background:

Alcohol abuse and dependence is a significant global health issue.
Anticonvulsants are frequently used for managing alcohol withdrawal symptoms, often alongside benzodiazepines.
The precise role and efficacy of anticonvulsants in alcohol withdrawal treatment require further evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

To systematically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of anticonvulsant medications in treating alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS).

Main Methods:

A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases (Cochrane, PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, EconLIT) up to December 2009.
Included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing anticonvulsants with placebo or other pharmacological treatments for AWS.
Data extraction and screening were performed independently by two authors.

Main Results:

Fifty-six studies with 4076 participants were analyzed.
No significant differences were found when comparing anticonvulsants to placebo for AWS outcomes.
Carbamazepine showed a potential advantage over benzodiazepines (oxazepam, lorazepam) in reducing AWS symptoms (CIWA-Ar score), though other comparisons lacked statistical significance.

Conclusions:

Current evidence does not sufficiently support the use of anticonvulsants for treating alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
Carbamazepine may offer some benefits for specific aspects of AWS compared to benzodiazepines, the standard treatment.
While anticonvulsants appear to have limited side effects, reporting in analyzed trials was not rigorous.