Oxcarbazepine

Oxcarbazepine is an anti-epileptic medication used in the treatment of partial onset seizures that was first approved for use in the United States in 2000. It is a structural derivative of carbamazepine and exerts a majority of its activity via a pharmacologically active metabolite, MHD, which exists as a racemate in the blood - a pro-drug of the more active (S)-enantiomer is also marketed as a separate anti-epileptic under the name eslicarbazepine. Compared to other anti-epileptic drugs, which are generally metabolized via the cytochrome P450 system, oxcarbazepine has a reduced propensity for involvement in drug-drug interactions owing to its primarily reductive metabolism.

In the United States, oxcarbazepine is indicated for use as monotherapy or adjunctive therapy in the treatment of partial-onset seizures in adults and as monotherapy in the treatment of partial-onset seizures in pediatric patients aged 4 years and above, and as adjunctive therapy in pediatric patients aged 2 years and above with partial-onset seizures.

In Canada, oxcarbazepine is indicated for use as monotherapy or adjunctive therapy in the treatment of partial-onset seizures in patients 6 years of age and older.