Pyrazoline as a Promising Scaffold for Antiepileptic Drug Development: A Comprehensive Review

Epilepsy is a prevalent neurological condition affecting millions of people worldwide, with significant social and economic burdens. Despite the availability of various antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), many patients continue to experience uncontrolled seizures or adverse effects, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic agents. Heterocyclic compounds, especially five-membered rings like pyrazoline, have gained attention in drug discovery due to their diverse pharmacological activities. Pyrazoline, characterized by a dihydropyrazole ring, exhibits promising physiological properties relevant to the CNS. This review explores epilepsy’s pathophysiology and common mechanisms of existing AEDs, including modulation of ion channels and neurotransmitter balance. Pyrazoline derivatives demonstrate broad- spectrum activity and significant antiepileptic potential by targeting GABAergic and glutamatergic systems. Several studies report effective pyrazoline-based compounds with improved safety and efficacy profiles. This review includes proposed mechanisms, reaction schemes for synthesis, and a summary of reported pyrazoline derivatives as potential antiepileptic agents, reinforcing their role in future drug development.