γ‐Vinyl GABA: A double‐blind placebo‐controlled trial in partial epilepsy

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Abstract
The antiepileptic effect of γ‐vinyl γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA), an irreversible GABA‐transaminase inhibitor, was investigated in an add‐on, placebo‐controlled, double‐blind, cross‐over, fixed‐dose trial. Twenty‐one patients suffering from difficult to control complex partial seizures participated; 18 patients completed the trial. Serum levels of concomitant antiepileptic drugs were kept constant throughout the trial. Three patients (17%) reduction in seizure frequency and in 8 (44%) the seizures were reduced by at least 50%. Two patients developed a modereat and 1 patient a marked increase in seizure frequency during treatment with γ‐vinyl GABA. Except for 2 patients, who had to discontinue the trial becuase of adverse effects of γ‐vinyl GABA, the participants were unable to discriminate between treatment regimens with regard to side effefts γ‐vinyl GABA seems to be a promosing new antiepileptic drug, and the first one to present convincing evidence of a GABAergic mechanism of action.