Carbamazepine clinical pharmacology: a review

The tricyclic anticonvulsant carbamazepine is being increasingly used to treat a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders. We review the literature on the drug in neurology, psychiatry, and pharmacology, in order to provide the clinical psychiatrist with a comprehensive reference on carbamazepine pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and drug interactions. We also present an overview of the psychiatric disorders in which carbamazepine has been found, or suggested, to be efficacious.