According to Michael Rogawski, Professor of Neurology at University of California, Davis, there are currently 25 different drugs available for the treatment of epilepsy, but many patients are still not adequately controlled and new drugs are needed. In an interview with Dr.Greg Rose of Pharmexperts.com Rogawski (see below, also available on http://www.scivee.com/) reviewed his research with neurosteroids (e.g. ganaxolone, allopregnanolone) as antiepileptic drugs. These drugs are allosteric modulators of GABA-A receptors and are effective in many animal models of epilepsy. On the basis of animal studies Rogawski predicted that neurosteroids will be particularly effective in the treatment of catamenial epilepsy (associated with menstruation) as well as in infantile spasms and adult partial seizures.
Natinal Health Institute of Health (NIH) is currently sponsoring clinical trial with progesterone (precursor of allopregnanolone) in catamenial epilepsy. Marinus Pharmaceuticals is evaluating ganaxolone in the same condition.
Keywords: epilepsy- anticonvulsant drugs - neurosteroids - ganaxolone - allopregnanolone - progesterone -catamenial epilepsy - infantile spasms - adult partial seizures - Marinus Pharmaceuticals
