Oxcarbazepine (marketed as Trileptal by Novartis or Trexapin by Taro) is an anticonvulsant and mood stabilizing drug , used primarily in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder . As of October 2007, Trileptal has also been available as a generic drug in the United States. more

Oxcarbazepine (marketed as Trileptal by Novartis or Trexapin by Taro) is an anticonvulsant and mood stabilizing drug , used primarily in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder . As of October 2007, Trileptal has also been available as a generic drug in the United States.

Oxcarbazepine is a structural derivative of carbamazepine , adding an extra oxygen atom on the dibenzazepine ring. This difference helps reduce the impact on the liver of metabolizing the drug, and also prevents the serious forms of anemia or agranulocytosis occasionally associated with carbamazepine . Aside from this reduction in side effects, it is thought to have the same mechanism as carbamazepine - sodium channel inhibition (presumably, the main mechanism of action) - and is generally used to treat the same conditions. Oxcarbazepine has recently been found associated with a greater enhancement in mood and reduction in anxiety symptoms than other drugs employed to treat epilepsy. [ 1 ] less