PEDIATRICS Vol. 22 No. 6 December 1958, pp. 1034-1036
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NEW DRUGS FOR TREATMENT OF SEIZURES

HADDOW M. KEITH M.D.1

1 Section of Pediatrics, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota

SINCE Putnam and Merritt's discovery in 1937 of diphenylhydantoin sodium (Dilantin® sodium), many other drugs for treatment of seizures have been studied and used clinically. The most satisfactory undoubtedly has been trimethadione (Tridione®) (1945), which is extremely useful in the control of attacks of petit mal in children.

Anticonvulsant drugs may be conveniently grouped in several major categories: 1) barbiturates, 2) hydantoins, 3) oxazolidinediones, 4) succinimides and 5) miscellaneous. Of the barbiturates, phenobarbital (phenylethylbarbituric acid) and Mebaral® or mephobarbital (methylphenylethylbarbituric acid) are best known and their use antedated the discovery of Dilantin® sodium.

The newest member of this group is metharbital, or Gemonil® (5, 5-diethyl-1-methylbarbituric acid) which has been used since 1950. It is said to be beneficial mainly against seizures caused by organic disease of the brain, especially when used in combination with Mebaral® There are few factual data in the more recent literature to substantiate this.