Clinical pharmacology of new antiepileptic drugs.

Advances in neurobiology, molecular biology, and pharmaceutical science have led to the development of a number of new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). The investigational AEDs described in this review include ganaxolone, levetiracetam, losigamone, pregabalin, remacemide, rufinamide, stiripentol, and zonisamide. They have shown efficacy in a variety of seizure types and offer hope for improved therapeutic efficacy, beneficial pharmacokinetics, and a decrease in the incidence of drug interactions and adverse events. As the results of ongoing clinical trials of these drugs become available, these medications may be considered for rational drug therapy of epilepsy, either singly or in combination with currently available AEDs.