Anticonvulsant Sulfonamides in Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders, characterised by recurrent epileptic seizures, affecting all age groups which exhibit a wide range of symptoms and severities. Once seizures are well-controlled without impeding side effects or co-morbidities, patients with epilepsy can participate in various social activities and can maintain good quality of life. In order to achieve the condition, there are emerging new antiepileptic drugs with sufficient efficacy to both partial and generalised seizures, with minimum adverse events, applicable to both adults and children, and used as monotherapy or add-on therapy. Sulfonamide drugs have been originally developed as potent antimicrobial agents, and several antiepileptic sulfonamides show efficacy in epilepsy. This book will describe a recent role in epilepsy therapy, mechanism of action, use in epilepsy, and side effects of sulfonamide antiepileptic drugs, (ie: acetazolamide, sulthiame, topiramate, and zonisamide). Not only practical use in the field of epilepsy, but also scientific issues as metabolism, interactions, possible effect to other neurological disorders of these drugs, will be summarized. Moreover, recent topics around wide variety of sulfonamide drugs will be covered. The author hopes to provide useful information to medical doctors, nurses, caregivers, pharmacists, and researchers engaging in epileptology, neurology and neuropharmacology, and anybody who are elaborating for a benefit of patients with epilepsy.