Beclamide
Encyclopedia
Beclamide is a propionate
Propionate
The propanoate or propionate ion is C2H5COO− .A propanoic or propionic compound is a salt or ester of propanoic acid....



It possesses anticonvulsant activity.

Side effects

Side effects are uncommon but include stomach pain, nervousness, giddiness, skin rash and leukopenia
Leukopenia
Leukopenia is a decrease in the number of white blood cells found in the blood, which places individuals at increased risk of infection....

. It is counter-indicated in breast feeding as it is passed in the milk.

Administration and pharmacology

Administration is oral, though it has an unpleasant taste. It is quickly absorbed and elimination is renal and complete within 48 hours. Beclamide is possibly metabolized to 3-Chloropropanoic acid in vivo, which binds to the GHB receptor
GHB receptor
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate receptor or GHB receptor , originally identified as GPR172A, is a G protein-coupled receptor that binds gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid .-History:...

.

Uses

It has been used as a sedative
Sedative
A sedative or tranquilizer is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement....

 and as an anticonvulsant
Anticonvulsant
The anticonvulsants are a diverse group of pharmaceuticals used in the treatment of epileptic seizures. Anticonvulsants are also increasingly being used in the treatment of bipolar disorder, since many seem to act as mood stabilizers, and in the treatment of neuropathic pain. The goal of an...

.

It was studied in the 1950s for its anticonvulsant properties, as a treatment for generalised tonic-clonic seizure
Seizure
An epileptic seizure, occasionally referred to as a fit, is defined as a transient symptom of "abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain". The outward effect can be as dramatic as a wild thrashing movement or as mild as a brief loss of awareness...

s. It was not effective for absence seizure
Absence seizure
Absence seizures are one of several kinds of seizures. These seizures are sometimes referred to as petit mal seizures ....

s. It is no longer used as an AED.

Interest in the drug resumed in the 1990s for its psychiatric properties as an adjunct in the treatment of schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...

.
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