Epilepsy belongs to common diseases of the brain. It affects approximately 1% of the population. The aim of
epilepsy therapy is to keep the patient free of
seizures without interfering with normal brain function. Unfortunately, about 30% of all
epilepsies remain without control. In this situation patients require polytherapy which is usually a combination of
antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) acting via different mechanisms of action. Many potential AEDs have been developed but the proportion of patients failing to respond to
drug treatment has not been fundamentally changed. The aim of this review was to assemble current literature data on
remacemide, a novel AED, which is suggested for the treatment of
epilepsy.
Remacemide hydrochloride is a low-affinity
NMDA receptor blocker as well as Na(+) fast-channel blocker. The
drug exerts
anticonvulsant activity both in various animal seizure models and in clinical studies. In addition to its antiseizure properties, the
drug seems to provide neuroprotection.
Remacemide holds promise to serve as
neuroprotectant not only in
seizures but perhaps in other neurodegenerative conditions in humans as well.