IEC 2025 | Plant-derived medicine in epilepsy: agents showing promise
Siegward Elsas, MD, Klinik Arlesheim, Arlesheim, Switzerland, comments on the potential of plant-derived medicine in epilepsy treatment, highlighting the successful testing and licensing of cannabidiol for clinical use. Dr Elsas mentions several promising plant-derived compounds, including Indigofera arrecta, Berberis sibirica radix, and ginger root, which have shown efficacy in zebrafish models and may offer novel mechanisms of action. This interview took place at the 36th International Epilepsy Congress (IEC) in Lisbon, Portugal.
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Transcript
Yes, so this is of course an area where a lot of research is being done – plant-derived medicine. Our primary candidate for new agents that one has not considered previously is cannabidiol, which was covered in our session. It is the first candidate that was successfully tested and licensed for clinical use and is used in many countries. In the session, we had one patient from my outpatient clinic report about her personal experience, where it’s well tolerated and in her case more effective than other antiepileptic medications...
Yes, so this is of course an area where a lot of research is being done – plant-derived medicine. Our primary candidate for new agents that one has not considered previously is cannabidiol, which was covered in our session. It is the first candidate that was successfully tested and licensed for clinical use and is used in many countries. In the session, we had one patient from my outpatient clinic report about her personal experience, where it’s well tolerated and in her case more effective than other antiepileptic medications. In the session, we had a discussion of the zebrafish model by Dr Camila Esguerra, who has tested a number of promising plant-derived compounds. One that she presented was on Indigofera arrecta from the Congolese plant Cachalosa, a primary project of Dr Joel Jabwin, which was found to be a glycogen synthase kinase inhibitor, a new target for antiepileptic drugs. This plant was found from ethnobotanical use in Congo in Africa. So, Indigofera arrecta is one candidate. Two others were presented by Dr Kinga Gawel from Poland: Berberis sibirica radix, which was found to contain palmatine as a potential glutamic acid decarboxylase, and alternatively, an AMPA receptor non-competitive antagonist was found to be effective in the zebrafish model and other animal models. Another that she presented was the root of ginger with the content of 6-gingerol, which potentially acts as an inhibitor of glutamate. Both of those, in clinical practice, from my experience in holistic medicine, would also enhance mental presence, which would be desirable, also different from the usual mechanisms of anti-seizure medications.
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