BARBTURATES FOR TREATMENT OF EPILEPSY

Abstract

Barbiturates in the brain. Barbiturates have their primary actions on the GABA_A receptor, but they also interact with glutamate receptors and voltage-gated ion channels. Because of the impressive recent advances in molecular biology techniques, our understanding of the GABA receptor and the actions of barbiturates on the central nervous system is likely to be significantly improved in the next decade. Barbiturates are a large class of drugs, consisting of many different brand name products with generic equivalents that are used primarily for mild sedation, general anaesthesia, and as a treatment for some types of epilepsy. From their introduction into clinical practice at the beginning of the 20th century until recent years,

Key words: barbiturates, epileptic seizures, bipolar disorder