title: Clinical efficacy and safety of imepitoin in comparison with phenobarbital for the control of idiopathic epilepsy in dogs.
abstract: The anticonvulsant activity and safety of imepitoin, a novel antiepileptic drug licensed in the European Union, were evaluated in a multicentre field efficacy study as well as in a safety study under laboratory conditions. Efficacy of imepitoin was compared with phenobarbital in 226 client-owned dogs in a blinded parallel group design. The administration of imepitoin twice daily in incremental doses of 10, 20 or 30 mg/kg demonstrated comparable efficacy to phenobarbital in controlling seizures in dogs. The frequency of adverse events including somnolence/sedation, polydipsia and increased appetite was significantly higher in the phenobarbital group. In phenobarbital-treated dogs, significantly increased levels of alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl-transferase and other liver enzymes occurred, while no such effect was observed in the imepitoin group. In a safety study under laboratory conditions, healthy beagle dogs were administered 0, 30, 90 or 150 mg/kg imepitoin twice daily for 26 weeks. A complete safety evaluation including histopathology was included in the study. A no-observed-adverse-event level of 90 mg/kg twice daily was determined. These results indicate that imepitoin is a potent and safe antiepileptic drug for dogs.
authors: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Tipold
authors: T J
authors: TJ
authors: Keefe
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Löscher
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Rundfeldt
authors: F
authors: F
authors: de Vries
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: C116306:AWD 131-138; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D007093:Imidazoles; D010634:Phenobarbital