Clonazepam

Abstract

CLONAZEPAM, an antiepileptic drug approved in 1976 by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of certain types of seizures, is a benzodiazepine structurally related to chlordiazepoxide hydrochloride, diazepam and nitrazepam. Its chemical name is 5-(2-chlorophenyl)-l,3-dihydro-7-nitro-2H-l,4-benzodiazepin-2-one (Fig. 1).Clonazepam suppresses seizure activity in many animal models of epilepsy and many types of paroxysmal activity on the electroencephalogram of patients.1 Generalized electroencephalographic abnormalities are more readily suppressed than focal abnormalities.1 Clonazepam often limits the spread of discharge from a focal lesion while not suppressing the primary focus.1 These observations may be explained by the ability of benzodiazepines to . . .