TEST #3 Fitzpatrick Pharm of Seizures and Epilepsy Flashcards
Abbreviations
AEDs – anti-epilepsy drugs
BZD – benzodiazepines
CBZ – carbamazepine
GABA – gamma () aminobutyric acid
GABA-T – GABA transaminase
GAD – glutamic acid decarboxylase
MOA – mechanism of action
Nav – voltage gated Na+ channels
OXCBZ – oxcarbazepine
PB – phenobarbital
PHT – phenytoin
Epilepsy
- Acquired or inherited malfunction of neuronal ion channels or neurotransmitter systems disrupting normal electrical activity in the brain.
Are AEDs Effective?
- AEDs can stop seizures from occurring in ~ 2/3 of patients; they DO NOT “CURE” epilepsy.
- There are > 32 AEDs available for therapy. About 25% of patients discontinue their medication because of significant side effects
Seizure free with:
1st drug 47%
2nd drug 13%
3rd drug or multi drugs 4%
Likelihood of AED: Drug Interactions
- About 5 out of 10 epileptic patients take 5 drugs
- There is a high propensity for Drug Interactions
Drugs Used to Treat Epilepsy
- Drugs used to treat epilepsy target neurotransmitter systems in order to SUPPRESS EXCITATORY, i.e. Glutamate Transmission, and / or ENHANCE INHIBITORY, i.e. GABA transmission.
- Because Glutamate and GABA are ubiquitous neurotransmitters throughout the CNS, the side effects of these therapies involve a broad array of brain mechanisms, from the regulation of homeostasis to alterations in higher brain functions.
Key Concepts
1) Mechanisms of Action:
- Understand AEDs molecular mechanisms
2) Hepatic metabolism:
- Role in drug-drug interactions & toxicities
3) Major & Unique Toxicities:
- Integrate with treatment concepts
Epilepsy Drugs
GENERALIZED ONSET:
1) Absence
2) Myotonic, Atonic, Clonic
3) Tonic/ Clonic
PARTIAL ONSET:
1) Tonic/ Clonic
2) Simple Complex
1) ABSENCE:
- Ethusoximide
2) MYOTONIC, ATONIC, CLONIC
- Benzodiazepines
- Clonazepam
3) TONIC/ CLONIC
- Phenytoin
- Phenobarbital
- ** Carbamazepine
4) SIMPLE COMPLEX
- ** Carbamazepine
- Gagapentin
- Pregbalin
- Oxcarbazepine
- Lacosamide
- Tiagabine
- Vigabatrin
- Ezobagin
5) BROAD SPECTRUM:
- Valproate
- Lamotrigine
- Topirimate
- Levetiracetam
- Zonisamide
*** CARBAMAZEPINE: PARTIAL ONSET Tonic-Clonic!!!!!
Mechanisms of Aciton: AEDs Antagonize Excitation by targeting:
1) Voltage gated Na+ ion channels (Nav)
2) Low-threshold (T type) Ca 2+ channels
AEDs ANTAGONIZE Voltage-dependent Na+ channels
- Phenytoin
- Carbamazepine
- Lamotrigine
- Oxcarbazepine
- Zonisamide
1) Voltage-Gated Na+ Channel BLOCKED
2) Blunt Excitation
Voltage Gated Sodium (Na+) Channel
INACTIVATION: Within a few milliseconds the channels close from inside of the neuron and go into a FAST INACTIVATED STATE FROM WHICH THEY CANNTO BE REACTIVATED…. DIRECTLY, OR INSTANTLY
DEPOLARIZATION: Na+ channels return to resting potential. During prolonged depolarization & repetitive neuronal activity, the Na+ channel goes into a SLOW INACTIVATION STATE by closing the pore from inside. This process happens on a second-to-minute time scale.
Drugs Modulate Voltage Gated Na Channels via Distinct Mechanisms
1) Prolong FAST INACTIVATION STATE of Nav ion channels:
- Traditional AED: phenytoin, carbamazepine
- New AEDs: Lamotrigine, oxcarbazepine
2) Enhance SLOW INACTIVATION of Nav
channels:
• New AED: ICOSAMIDE!!!!.
Voltage Gated Nav Channels Continued
- Voltage-gated sodium ion (Nav) channels generate the rapid, transient inward currents that drive the upstroke of the action potential of NEURONS & other excitable cells.
- Nav channels are the target of many drugs, including antiepileptics, anesthetics, analgesics, and antiarrhythmics.
Nav channels are target for drugs, used to treat Epilepsy, Seizures, Pain and Cardiac Arrhythmias.
- Drugs used to treat these disorders exhibit LITTLE or NO SELECTIVITY for Nav-channel subtypes.
- The sub-units of voltage gated NaV channels undergo CONFORMATIONAL CHANGES during the action potential.
AEDs and Nav Channels
- AEDs’ binding site is at interior side Nav channel ‘pore’
- If activation gate opens AEDs CAN ACCESS ‘pore’
- If activation gate CLOSED AEDs CANNOT ACCESS ‘pore’
- The pharmacological activity of AED Nav blockers is ‘state’ or ‘USE-DEPENDENT’…
Nav Channel Blocker: LAMOTRIGINE
- If activation gate CLOSED AEDs CANNOT access ‘pore’
- If activation gate is OPEN AEDs CAN access ‘pore’
*** The probability of Nav BLOCKADE is PROPORTION to the frequency of Nav Channel OPENING and the DOSE!!!
*** Epileptic seizures involve neurons firing at higher frequency than normal… therefore the NaV blockers ACT PREFERENTIALLY ON THE NEURONS INVOLVED IN THE DISEASE
Phenytoin and Carbazepine
- Are STATE-DEPENDENT agents that slow the recovery of Nav ion channels from inactivation.
- PHENYTOIN is most effective at depolarized membrane potentials and high-frequency action potential firing.
- The state dependence of phenytoin causes MINIMAL EFFECTS on COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS (low- frequency firing).
- CARBAMAZEPINE binds Nav LESS EFFECTIVELY, but with a much FASTER RATE than phenytoin, making carbamazepine MORE EFFECTIVE in BLOCKING High-frequency firing.
*** These differences may correlate with different clinical responses .
Lamotrigine
- The mechanism of action
of lamotrigine on Nav ion channels is similar to that of phenytoin and carbamazepine (voltage and use dependence).
- However, LAMOTRIGINE also ACTS ON OTHER MOLECULAR TARGETS, such as N- and P-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channels in cortical neurons and neocortical potassium currents.!!!!!!!!
- Therefore, its ANTI-EPILEPTIC action is NOT identical to carbamazepine and phenytoin.
Lacosamide
- Is a NOVEL AED that
effectively treats PARTIAL SEIZURES. - Lacosamide STABILIZES the SLOW-INACTIVATED STATE!!!!!!
- Other AEDs act primarily on the Fast-Inactivation state.
- In a PROLONGED train of depolarizing stimuli, lacosamide is MORE EFFECTIVE at REDUCING the AMPLITUDES and FREQUENCY of sustained repetitive firing spikes when the stimulus was prolonged to tens of seconds as opposed to less than 1 sec.
- By contrast, AEDs such as phenytoin, carbamazepine, and lamotrigine, exert their action over substantially SHORTER time scale.
T-Type Ca2+ Ion Channels (CaV3.1) Mediate Absence Seizures
- Voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels (VSCC) mediate Ca2+ ions entry INTO EXCITABLE CELLS.
- There are 3 types of neuronal Ca2+ channel: L,N and T.
- T-type Ca channels mediate 3 Hz spike and wave
activity in the THALAMUS - the HALLMARK OF ABSENCE (PETIT MAL) SEIZURES. - AEDs that INHIBIT these T-type Ca2+ channels are particularly useful for CONTROLLING Absence Seizures
Drugs to Treat Absence Seizures
- Antagonists of T-type Ca2+ channels target CORTEX-THALAMUS oscillation
ETHOSUXIMIDE (Narrow Spectrum)!!!!!:
- ONLY used for ABSENCE SEIZURES
- ONLY limits Excitation (Ca2+ Channel)
- NON - SEDATING DRUG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Valproate
- For many years, VALPROATE
was the only BROAD-SPECTRUM agent available and is still considered first-line therapy by many experts for generalized- onset seizures. - Unfortunately, it has ‘INTOLERABLE’ adverse effects, e.g. weight gain, tremor, hair loss, and lethargy.****
- Valproate has also been associated with NEURAL TUBE DEFECTS in the offspring of women who take it DURING Pregnancy.
Lamotrigine
- The mechanism of action
of lamotrigine on Nav ion channels is SIMILAR to that of phenytoin and carbamazepine (voltage and use dependence). - However, lamotrigine also ACTS ON OTHER molecular targets, such as N- and P-TYPE Voltage-Gated Ca2+ channels in cortical neurons and neocortical potassium currents!!!!!!!!!!!
- Therefore, its anti-epileptic action is not identical to carbamazepine and phenytoin.
ZONISAMIDE
- Is a SULFONAMIDE
derivative that is chemically and structurally unrelated to other anticonvulsants. - Its primary mechanisms of action appears to be:
1) BLOCKING voltage-dependent sodium channels
2) BLOCKING T-type calcium channels.
AEDs that Augment Inhibition
- Block GABA RE-UPTAKE or metabolism
- Potentiate GABAa receptor Cl- CURRENTS!!!!
1) TIAGABINE: INHIBITS GABA Re-uptake (Transporters)!!!!!!
2) VAGABATRIN: INHIBITS GABA METABOLISM (GABA-T)!!!!!!!!!!!
Drugs that Enhance Post-Synaptic GABAergic Neuronal Transmission
1) PHENOBARBITAL and related Barbiturates
2) PRIMIDONE (Active Metabolite = Phenobarbital)
3) BENZODIAZAPINES (Diazapam/ Lorazepam)