Lamotrigine Lamictal®

Serum, 1ml

Type of drug: Mood Stabilizer and Antikonvulsant
Metabolism: UGT1A4, UGT3B7, P-gp(ABCB1), BCRP(ABCG2)
Half life t½: 14-104h
Steady State: 1 week
TDM: recommended
Additional informations: No therapeutic window for mood-stabilising effect. In patients with resistant depression, the level should be >3.25mg/l, valproic acid increases the t1/2 to 45-75h; carbamazepine, phenytoin and phenobarbital decrease to about 9-14h by induction of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase.

Lamotrigine has antiepileptic and mood stabilising characteristics and is thus administered in the prophylaxis- and therapy of attacks of depression in patients with bipolar complaints. The effective ingredient blocks the tension-dependent nerve sodium channels in the nerve cells and this inhibits the release of exciting neuro transmitters (glutamate for example among others). This causes the central nervous system to be less stimulated and thus prohibits the generating of cramp symptoms, and the hazard of epileptic attacks is also reduced. Lamotrigine is a chlorinated phenyltriazine derivative structurally similar to ‘PCP’ – phencyclidine. This can lead to false positive results in during doping tests on sportsmen and women. Otherwise, frequent side effects are visual disorders such as double-vision or blurred vision.