Description

Product Description

Neurontin (Gabapentine) is a medication used as an anticonvulsant and analgesic. It was originally developed to treat epilepsy, and is currently also used to relieve neuropathic pain. It is recommended as a first line agent for the treatment of neuropathihttps://web.archive.org/web/20150915065657/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analgesicc pain arising from diabetic neuropathy, post-herpetic neuralgia, and central neuropathic pain.

Gabapentin is also commonly prescribed for many off-label uses, such as treatment of restless leg syndrome, 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.

Gabapentin is used primarily to treat seizures and neuropathic pain. There are, however, concerns regarding the quality of the research on its use to treat migraines, bipolar disorder, and pain.

Seizures

Gabapentin is approved for treatment of focal seizures, partial seizures and mixed seizures. There is insufficient evidence for its use in generalized epilepsy.

Anxiety disorders

Gabapentin is effective in social anxiety disorder, panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.

Other uses

Gabapentin may be useful in the treatment of comorbid anxiety in bipolar patients, (however not the bipolar state itself). Gabapentin may be effective in acquired pendular nystagmus and infantile nystagmus, (but not periodic alternating nystagmus). It is effective in hot flashes. It may be effective in reducing pain and spasticity in multiple sclerosis. Gabapentin may reduce symptoms of alcohol withdrawal (but it does not prevent the associated seizures). Use for smoking cessation has had mixed results. Gabapentin is effective in alleviating itching in renal failure (uremic pruritus) and itching of other etiologies. It is well-established in the treatment of restless leg syndrome. (A prodrug form, gabapentin enacarbil, is also effective.)Gabapentin is effective in insomnia.

Gabapentin is not effective alone as a mood-stabilizing treatment for bipolar disorder. There is insufficient evidence to support its use in obsessive-compulsive disorder and treatment-resistant depression. Gabapentin does not appear effective for the treatment of tinnitus.