| Item |
Information |
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Drug Groups
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approved |
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Description
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An antiepileptic agent related to the barbiturates; it is partly metabolized to phenobarbital in the body and owes some of its actions to this metabolite. Adverse effects are reported to be more frequent than with phenobarbital. (From Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 30th ed, p309) |
| Indication |
For the treatment of epilepsy |
| Pharmacology |
Primidone is a barbiturate with anticonvulsant properties. Primidone, either alone or used concomitantly with other anticonvulsants, is indicated in the control of grand mal, psychomotor, and focal epileptic seizures. It may control grand mal seizures refractory to other anticonvulsant therapy. Primidone raises electro- or chemoshock seizure thresholds or alters seizure patterns in experimental animals. Primidone per se has anticonvulsant activity as do its two metabolites, phenobarbital and phenylethylmalonamide (PEMA). In addition to its anticonvulsant activity, Primidone potentiates that of phenobarbital in experimental animals. |
| Toxicity |
Symptoms of an overdose typically include sluggishness, incoordination, difficulty in thinking, slowness of speech, faulty judgment, drowsiness or coma, shallow breathing, staggering, and in severe cases coma and death. |
| Affected Organisms |
| • |
Humans and other mammals |
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| Biotransformation |
Hepatic |
| Absorption |
90 to 100% |
| Half Life |
3-23 hours |
| Protein Binding |
70% |
| References |
| • |
Murphy K, Delanty N: Primary Generalized Epilepsies. Curr Treat Options Neurol. 2000 Nov;2(6):527-542.
[Pubmed]
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| • |
Kagitani-Shimono K, Imai K, Okamoto N, Ono J, Okada S: Unverricht-Lundborg disease with cystatin B gene abnormalities. Pediatr Neurol. 2002 Jan;26(1):55-60.
[Pubmed]
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| • |
Brown GM, Stone GH, Rathbone MP: Primidone and rapid cycling affective disorders. Lancet. 1993 Oct 9;342(8876):925.
[Pubmed]
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| • |
Schaffer LC, Schaffer CB, Caretto J: The use of primidone in the treatment of refractory bipolar disorder. Ann Clin Psychiatry. 1999 Jun;11(2):61-6.
[Pubmed]
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| • |
Young MC, Hughes IA: Loss of therapeutic control in congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to interaction between dexamethasone and primidone. Acta Paediatr Scand. 1991 Jan;80(1):120-4.
[Pubmed]
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| External Links |
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