Scientists from the Southern Federal University (SFU) and Volgograd State Medical University (VolgSMU) have synthesized a new substance that can become an effective treatment for epilepsy. It is based on benzimidazole derivatives (a class of substances with proven neuroprotective activity), the SFU press service told TASS.
“Laboratory tests have confirmed that the new molecule not only reduces the frequency of seizures, but also protects neurons from damage,” the university said. The new compound, unlike many existing antiepileptic drugs, does not cause serious side effects and does not provoke a deterioration in patients’ condition after discontinuation.
To test the substance, the researchers created a special experimental model: using electrodes attached to the heads of laboratory animals, scientists caused controlled epileptic seizures similar to severe forms of the disease in humans.
Earlier it was reported that scientists of the Chemical Institute named after A. M. Butlerov of Kazan Federal University had developed a new method for obtaining a metastable crystalline form of phenylbutazone, one of the most common medicinal substances. Its advantage is that it is cheap to produce, and manufacturers do not have to pay royalties to developers.
