Vigabatrin

Vigabatrin
Clinical data
Pronunciation/vˈɡæbətrɪn/
vy-GAB-ə-trin
Trade namesVigafyde, Sabril, others
Other namesγ-Vinyl-GABA
AHFS/Drugs.comMonograph
MedlinePlusa610016
License data
Pregnancy
category
  • AU: D
Routes of
administration
By mouth
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability80–90%
Protein binding0%
Metabolismnot metabolized
Elimination half-life5–8 hours in young adults, 12–13 hours in the elderly.
ExcretionKidney
Identifiers
  • (RS)-4-aminohex-5-enoic acid
CAS Number
PubChem CID
IUPHAR/BPS
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
ChEMBL
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
ECHA InfoCard100.165.122
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC6H11NO2
Molar mass129.159 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
Melting point171 to 177 °C (340 to 351 °F)
  • O=C(O)CCC(\C=C)N
  • InChI=1S/C6H11NO2/c1-2-5(7)3-4-6(8)9/h2,5H,1,3-4,7H2,(H,8,9) Y
  • Key:PJDFLNIOAUIZSL-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y
  (verify)

Vigabatrin, sold under the brand name Vigafyde among others, is a medication used in the management and treatment of infantile spasms and refractory complex partial seizures.

It works by inhibiting the breakdown of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). It is also known as γ-vinyl-GABA, and is a structural analogue of GABA, but does not bind to GABA receptors.

Vigabatrin is generally used only in cases of treatment-resistant epilepsy due to the risk of permanent vision loss. Although estimates of visual field loss vary substantially, risk appears to be lower among infants with treatment duration less than 12 months and the risk of clinically meaningful vision loss is very low among children treated for infantile spasms.