Gabapentin

Gabapentin, marketed under the brand name Neurontin among others, is a medication used to treat epilepsy, neuropathic pain, and hot flashes. It is also used for restless leg syndrome. It is recommended as a first line agent for the treatment of neuropathic pain arising from diabetic neuropathy, post-herpetic neuralgia, and central neuropathic pain.

It is a lipophilic structural analogue of the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA).

Gabapentin was first approved for use in 1993. In the United States it has been available as a generic medication since 2004. It costs about 0.64 USD per day.

Medical uses

Gabapentin is used primarily to treat seizures and neuropathic pain. It is also commonly prescribed for many off-label uses, such as treatment of anxiety disorders,insomnia, and bipolar disorder. There are, however, concerns regarding the quality of the trials conducted and evidence for some such uses, especially in the case of its use as a mood stabilizer in bipolar disorder.