CLINICAL PHARMACOKINETICS OF NEW ANTIEPILEPTIC DRUGS

We have reviewed the pharmacokinetics of six antiepileptic drugs that are marketed (felbamate, gabapentin, lamotrigine, oxcarbazepine, vigab atrin, and zonisamide) and six drugs that are undergoing evaluation (l evetiracetam, ralitoline, remacemide, stiripentol, tiagabine, and topi ramate). In addition, we have compared the prodrugs eterobarb and fosp henytoin and the controlled-release formulations of valproic acid and carbamazepine with their parent compounds. Finally, we have devised a scoring system to compare the pharmacokinetics of new antiepileptic dr ugs. Using this system, vigabatrin, levetiracetam, gabapentin, and top iramate appear to have the most favourable pharmacokinetic profiles, w hilst ralitoline and stiripentol have the least favourable.