Levetiracetam
KeppraPubChem CID 5284583 · 3D model
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Sticks to a protein inside brain cells' chemical-messenger pouches, calming the excess electrical activity that triggers seizures.
How it works
Levetiracetam attaches to a protein called SV2A, found in the tiny pouches nerve cells use to release their chemical messengers. That's a different target than most older seizure drugs, which typically work by blocking electrical channels or boosting a calming brain chemical called GABA. Researchers have shown that how tightly a levetiracetam-like molecule grips SV2A tracks with how well it prevents seizures in lab studies, which is the main evidence for this being the key mechanism — even though scientists haven't mapped out every step between binding and seizure control.
What it’s used for
Used to treat partial (focal) seizures in anyone one month of age or older, either alone or alongside other seizure medicines. Also used, together with other medicines, for the muscle-jerk seizures seen in teens and adults with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, and the whole-body convulsive seizures seen in people with generalized epilepsy.
- Mechanism
- Binds synaptic vesicle protein SV2A
- Drug class
- Small molecule
- Therapeutic area
- CNS / Neurology