Mesuximide (or methsuximide, methosuximide) is a

succinimide Succinimide is an organic compound with the formula (CH2)2(CO)2NH. This white solid is used in a variety of organic syntheses, as well as in some industrial silver plating processes. The compound is classified as a cyclic imide. It may be prepared ...

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 ...

medication. It is sold as a

racemate In chemistry, a racemic mixture or racemate () is a mixture that has equal amounts (50:50) of left- and right-handed enantiomers of a chiral molecule or salt. Racemic mixtures are rare in nature, but many compounds are produced industrially as r ...

Pfizer Pfizer Inc. ( ) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation headquartered at The Spiral (New York City), The Spiral in Manhattan, New York City. Founded in 184 ...

under the tradenames Petinutin (Switzerland) and Celontin (United States). The therapeutic efficacy of methosuximide is largely due to its pharmacologically active metabolite, ''N''-desmethylmethosuximide, which has a longer half-life and attains much higher plasma levels than its parent.

Medical use

is indicated for the control of

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 that are refractory to other drugs.

References

Anticonvulsants Drugs developed by Pfizer Succinimides {{anticonvulsant-stub