Beclamide (marketed as Chloracon, Hibicon, Posedrine, Nydrane, Seclar, and other names) is a

drug A drug is any chemical substance other than a nutrient or an essential dietary ingredient, which, when administered to a living organism, produces a biological effect. Consumption of drugs can be via insufflation (medicine), inhalation, drug i ...

that possesses anticonvulsant activity. It is no longer used.

Uses

It has been used as a

sedative A sedative or tranquilliser is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or Psychomotor agitation, excitement. They are central nervous system (CNS) Depressant, depressants and interact with brain activity, causing its decelera ...

and as an

anticonvulsant Anticonvulsants (also known as antiepileptic drugs, antiseizure drugs, or anti-seizure medications (ASM)) are a diverse group of pharmacological agents used in the treatment of epileptic seizures. Anticonvulsants are also used in the treatme ...

. It was studied in the 1950s for its anticonvulsant properties, as a treatment for generalised tonic-clonic

seizure A seizure is a sudden, brief disruption of brain activity caused by abnormal, excessive, or synchronous neuronal firing. Depending on the regions of the brain involved, seizures can lead to changes in movement, sensation, behavior, awareness, o ...

s. It was not effective for

absence seizure Absence seizures are one of several kinds of generalized seizures. Absence seizures are characterized by a brief loss and return of consciousness, generally not followed by a period of lethargy (i.e. without a notable postictal state). Absence ...

s. Interest in the drug resumed in the 1990s for its psychiatric properties as an adjunct in the treatment of

schizophrenia Schizophrenia () is a mental disorder characterized variously by hallucinations (typically, Auditory hallucination#Schizophrenia, hearing voices), delusions, thought disorder, disorganized thinking and behavior, and Reduced affect display, f ...

Side effects

Side effects are uncommon but include stomach pain, nervousness, giddiness, skin rash and

leukopenia Leukopenia () is a decrease in the number of white blood cells (leukocytes). It places individuals at increased risk of infection as white blood cells are the body's primary defense against infections. Signs and symptoms Symptoms may include: * s ...

. It is counter-indicated in breast feeding as it is passed in the milk.

References

* ''The Medical Treatment of Epilepsy'' by Stanley R Resor. Published by Marcel Dekker (1991). . Abandoned drugs Anticonvulsants Carboxamides Organochlorides {{anticonvulsant-stub