Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 5, 2026
06:45
Generation and On-Demand Initiation of Acute Ictal Activity in Rodent and Human Tissue
Published on: January 19, 2019
9.3K
Awareness and current knowledge of epilepsy.
Asmat Ullah Khan1, Muhammad Akram2, Muhammad Daniyal3
1Department of Eastern Medicine, The University of Poonch, Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan.
Metabolic Brain Disease
|October 13, 2019
Summary
Natural medicines offer promising epilepsy treatments for the 30% of patients unresponsive to conventional drugs. Further research into plant-derived antiepileptic agents is crucial for developing new therapies.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacognosy
- Neuroscience
- Ethnobotany
Background:
- Epilepsy affects 50 million globally, with over 30% experiencing medically intractable seizures.
- Current antiepileptic drugs present adverse reactions and limited efficacy in a significant patient subset.
- Developing novel antiepileptic strategies is essential due to drug resistance and side effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comprehensively review natural medicines used worldwide for epilepsy treatment.
- To identify and summarize ethnobotanical data on plant-based antiepileptic agents.
- To highlight the potential of medicinal plants as a source for new antiepileptic drug discovery.
Main Methods:
- Extensive bibliographic analysis of peer-reviewed papers and classical textbooks.
- Searches of scientific databases (PubMed, EMbase, CENTRAL) using "antiepileptic" and "anti-convulsant" keywords.
- Review of medicinal plants with documented traditional use for epilepsy.
Main Results:
- Medicinal plants have a long history of use as antiepileptic agents across various cultures.
- Specific herbs like Cuminum cyminum, Butea monosperma, and Angelica archangelica show potential.
- The review consolidates traditional knowledge with scientific literature on plant-based epilepsy treatments.
Conclusions:
- Increased experimental studies are needed to isolate novel active principles from medicinal plants.
- Plant extracts and their constituents require further evaluation to elucidate mechanisms of action.
- Medicinal plants represent a valuable resource for developing effective and safer antiepileptic drugs.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview
1.1K
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease marked by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, leading to behavior, sensation, or consciousness alterations. They can also cause transient impairment of awareness, interfering with daily activities.
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
1.1K
01:13Seizures: Classification
1.3K
Epilepsy is primarily characterized by unpredictable seizures, either provoked by an identifiable factor, such as injury or illness, or unprovoked, occurring spontaneously without apparent cause.
Seizures are typically classified into two main categories: focal and generalized seizures.
Focal Seizures
Focal seizures originate from specific regions of the brain. These seizures are further sub-classified into two types:
Seizures are typically classified into two main categories: focal and generalized seizures.
Focal Seizures
Focal seizures originate from specific regions of the brain. These seizures are further sub-classified into two types:
1.3K
01:20Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators
581
Ezocgabine or retigabine, an antiepileptic drug of remarkable efficacy, has revolutionized the management of seizures. It is a potassium channel activator, explicitly targeting the family of Q subtype potassium channels. It enhances the transmembrane potassium currents, regulating neuronal excitability. This action stabilizes the resting membrane potential, a pivotal factor in mitigating the hyperexcitability that characterizes epilepsy.
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...
581
01:30Electroconvulsive Therapy
752
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), or shock therapy, remains a critical biomedical intervention for severe, treatment-resistant depression. While its origins can be traced back to Hippocrates' observations that malaria-induced convulsions alleviated mental illness, modern ECT has evolved significantly from its earlier, more primitive applications. First introduced in 1938 by Ugo Cerletti and his colleagues, ECT involves inducing controlled seizures using electrical currents. In its early...
752
01:14Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists
848
Glutamate is a fundamental neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, playing a vital role in neuronal communication and various cognitive processes. Glutamate stands as the principal excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Its presence is crucial for the communication between neurons, underpinning essential processes such as synaptic transmission, neuronal excitability, and plasticity. These functions are vital for higher-order cognitive processes, including learning and memory. The...
848
01:08Antiepileptic Drugs: Sodium Channel Blockers
1.5K
Antiepileptic drugs are specialized medications that prevent seizures in individuals diagnosed with epilepsy. These drugs primarily function by blocking the movement of sodium ions through channels in the neuronal membrane, inhibiting the repetitive firing of action potentials often associated with seizures.
Sodium channel blockers modulate ion channels, particularly voltage-gated sodium channels. They block only sodium ion movement.
Among the most commonly prescribed antiepileptic drugs are...
Sodium channel blockers modulate ion channels, particularly voltage-gated sodium channels. They block only sodium ion movement.
Among the most commonly prescribed antiepileptic drugs are...
1.5K