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Looking for other drugs in the same class as Gabapentin? We’ve compiled a large list of Gabapentin alternatives.
Gabapentin is classified as an anticonvulsant. It’s used for pain management, epilepsy, restless leg syndrome and hot flashes. In general, anticonvulsants “work” by increasing the inhibitory activity of the neurotransmitter GABA, or decrease the activity of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate.
Gabapentin is a GABA analogue – it’s chemical structure is a modified version of the neurotransmitter GABA. This means that Gabapentin behaves similarly to GABA in the brain. Gabapentin tends to decrease anxiety, pain perception and promote a relaxed mental state.
What Other Drugs Are in the Same Class as Gabapentin?
The follow table is a list of Gabapentin alternatives – all of which are anticonvulsants. Most of them are approved for epilepsy, but are used off-label for other purposes. For example, valproic acid is used both for epilepsy but also as a mood stabilizer.
Anticonvulsant | Mechanism | Comments |
Carbamazepine | Voltage-dependent sodium channels | Treats focal/generalized seizures, bipolar disorder, chronic pain (trigeminal neuralgia) |
Phenytoin | Voltage-dependent sodium channels | focal/generalized seizures, status epilepticus, mixed seizures |
Lamotrigine | Voltage-dependent sodium channels | focal seizures and generalized seizures (adjunct), mood disorders |
Oxcarbazepine | Voltage-dependent sodium channels | Focal and secondarily generalized tonic clonic seizures |
Zonisamide | Voltage-dependent sodium channels and T-type calcium channels | Focal and generalized seizures in adults and children |
Lacosamide | Enhancement of slow inactivation of voltage-dependent sodium channels | Focal-onset seizures for adults |
Rufinamide | Prolongs inactivate state of sodium channels | Seizures associated with Lennox Gastaut syndrome (LGS) |
Eslicarbazepine | Blockade of voltage-gated sodium channels in rapid firing neurons | Focal-onset seizures for adults |
Ethosuximide | Diminishes T-type calcium currents | Absence seizures |
Phenobarbital | Increases GABA(A) receptor activity | Generalized and focal seizures |
Tiagabine | Increases GABA levels | Adjunct for focal seizures |
Vigabatrin | Irreversible inhibitor of GABA-transaminase | Refractory focal seizures |
Clobazam | Benzodiazepine | Adjunct for >2 y/o patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) |
Clorazepate, diazepam, lorazepam | Benzodiazepine | Myoclonic and atonic seizures, focal and generalized tonic-clonic seizures |
Clobazam | Benzodiazepine | Adjunct for >2 y/o patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) |
Perampanel | AMPA-type glutamate receptor antagonist | focal-onset and primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures in patients >12 |
Valproate | blocks voltage-dependent sodium channels, increases GABA levels, increases GABA synthesis | generalized and focal seizures |
Felbamate | Blocks NMDA-type glutamate receptors and increases GABA function | Focal seizures and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome |
Topiramate | Blocks voltage-dependent sodium channels, enhances GABA activity, antagonizes NMDA-type glutamate receptors | Adjunct for focal seizures in adults and children >2 |
Gabapentin | Binds voltage-dependent calcium channels | Adjunct for refractory focal seizures |
Leviracetam | Binds synaptic vesicle protein SV2A, GABA modulation | Adjunct for focal-onset seizures, myoclonic seizures, generalized tonic-clonic seizures with idiopathic generalized epilepsy |
Pregabalin | binds voltage-gated calcium channels and affects glutamate, noradrenaline, and substance P | Adjunct for focal seizures, neuropathic pain, postherpetic neuralgia, fibromyalgia |
Ezogabine | Opens KCNQ2/3 voltage-gated potassium channels | Adjunct for focal seizures in adults |