Effect of Melatonin on Seizure Outcome, Neuronal Damage and Quality of Life in Patients With Generalized Epilepsy: A Randomized, add-on Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial

Detailed Summary

Epilepsy is one of the most common and frequently encountered neurological conditions that impose a huge burden on the healthcare systems. Despite the abundance of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) available, 30% of people continue to have seizures even after long-term therapy of 6-8 years. This group of people requires a more aggressive treatment since monotherapy, the first choice scheme, is not sufficient to control seizure and its complications, multiple drug therapy or polytherapy often results in the culmination of unwanted effects. The need for an add-on AEDs with a good safety profile is of utmost importance.The beneficial effects of melatonin on sleep, its wide safety window, and its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier have the potential to improve the quality of life in seizure patients. Various animal studies have suggested that melatonin receptors are the potential targets for anticonvulsant drug development. In animal studies, melatonin was found to suppress generalized seizure and seizure susceptibility and it also has neuroprotection and synapse modulating properties. Some clinical trials mostly on paediatric population also found that melatonin can improve the clinical outcome in epilepsy. Therefore, we have planned to conduct a randomized, add-on placebo-controlled clinical trial on the effect of melatonin on seizure outcome, neuronal damage and quality of life in adult patients with generalized seizure.

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