Researchers have said that a widely used diabetic drug, called Metformine, may prove to be an effective and safe therapy for epilepsy treatment as well.
The study, led by Dr. Avtar Roopra has cited that this new approach may particularly prove useful to patients who have recurrent seizures despite therapy with the best available drugs.Metformine acts on the basis of an effect similar to a ketogenic diet, which is an attempt to minimize dietary starch and sugar.
This severe dietary approach has long been undertaken by epilepsy patients and this led researchers to think of drugs that could tap into metabolic pathways and produce similar results.
For this, the researchers identified a small molecule in neurons that senses how much energy is available on hand. This sensor is usually turned on by glucose, which also triggers Metformine, a drug used to control blood sugar.
By administering the proper dose, they could suppress over-active nerve cells by removing their ability to turn sugar into excess energy.
Now, the researchers are planning to apply their preliminary results to a mouse model of epilepsy.
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