Zonisamide

Zonisamide is a medication used to treat the symptoms of epilepsy and Parkinson's disease. Chemically it is a sulfonamide. It serves as an anticonvulsant used primarily as an adjunctive therapy in adults with Parkinson's disease, partial-onset seizures; infantile spasm, mixed seizure types of Lennox–Gastaut syndrome, myoclonic and generalized tonic clonic seizure. Despite this it is also sometimes used as a monotherapy for partial-onset seizures. Zonisamide is a medication used to treat the symptoms of epilepsy and Parkinson's disease. Chemically it is a sulfonamide. It serves as an anticonvulsant used primarily as an adjunctive therapy in adults with Parkinson's disease, partial-onset seizures; infantile spasm, mixed seizure types of Lennox–Gastaut syndrome, myoclonic and generalized tonic clonic seizure. Despite this it is also sometimes used as a monotherapy for partial-onset seizures. Zonisamide is approved in the United States, and United Kingdom for adjunctive treatment of partial seizures in adults and Japan for both adjunctive and monotherapy for partial seizures (simple, complex, secondarily generalized), generalized (tonic, tonic-clonic (grand mal), and atypical absence) and combined seizures. In Australia it is marketed as both an adjunctive therapy and monotherapy for partial seizures only. It has been approved for the treatment of the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, as an adjunct to levodopa, in a few countries such as Japan. In Japan, zonisamide has been used as an adjunct to levodopa treatment since 2009 . More recently, Murata et al published a randomised double-blind placebo controlled study that served as Class 1 evidence of zonisamide and its role in treating parkinsonian symptoms of Dementia with Lewy Bodies . The study found Zonisamide did not worsen cognitive function, behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, or caregiver burden. The overall incidence of adverse events was higher in the zonisamide 50 mg than the 25 mg and placebo groups (65.3%, 43.1%, and 50.0%, respectively). In an open-label trial zonisamide attenuated the symptoms of tardive dyskinesia. It has also been studied for obesity with significant positive effects on body weight loss and there are three ongoing clinical trials for this indication. It was to be sold, when combined with bupropion, under the brand name Empatic, until its development was discontinued. Zonisamide has been studied for and used as a migraine preventative medication, when topiramate is either ineffective or cannot be continued due to side effects. It has also been used off-label by psychiatrists as a mood stabilizer to treat bipolar depression. Adverse effects by incidence: Very common (>10% incidence) adverse effects include: