Drug Therapy and Natural Remedies: A Holistic View of Epilepsy Management

Epilepsy is a common brain disease and millions of people around the world suffer from it. In 2016, approximately 45.9 million individuals globally were living with active epilepsy, with a prevalence of 62.15 per 100,000 people. Seizures are currently classified on a broader level as focal, generalized, and unknown onset, and on a further level as motor and non-motor. According to the classification system of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), these etiologies can be broadly categorized into six groups: structural abnormality, genetic predispositions, infectious agents, metabolic dysfunctions, immune-mediated response, and neurodegenerative processes. Mutations in genes coding for synaptic components, e.g. Germany synapses, have been linked to epilepsy, which can be caused by such an imbalance in it. TRPV1 is overexpressed in regions in brain linked to epilepsy: the hippocampus, amygdala, and cortex. The channel is involved in seizure susceptibility and propagation, which may result from its effects on neuronal excitability and inflammation. The antiepileptic properties of Acacia nilotica are mainly associated with the bioactive compounds, flavonoids, saponins and tannins. These compounds are believed to have neuroprotective properties by acting on the release of neurotransmitters and by decreasing oxidative stress, which are fundamental factors in the onset and the development of epileptic seizures.