Karbamazepine is an antiepileptic of carboxamide group, which also carries psychotropic and neurotropic action. The mechanism of action of carbamazepine has not yet been clarified. Apparently the stabilization of the neuronal membrane is the basis of antiepileptic action. The psychotropic effect is used for the treatment of epilepsy and depressive psychosis. Carbamazepine calms the paroxysmal pain in trigeminal and glossopharyngeal neuralgia.
Karbamazepine is indicated in:
• epilepsy (partial seizures with complex symptomatology and simple symptomatology);
• primarily or secondarily generalised epilepsy, with tonic-clonic seizures and some mixed forms of epilepsy;
• mania and as prophylaxy treatment in manic-depressive (bipolar) disorders unresponsive to lithium;
• trigeminal neuralgia and glossopharyngeal neuralgia.