Traditional Chinese medicine on epilepsy: focus on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (AMPARs) mediate the majority of excitatory synaptic transmission in central nervous system. Dysfunction of these receptors may result in various diseases, including epilepsy. In recent years, a growing number of studies have targeted NMDARs and AMPARs to screen for antiepileptic agents that are both efficacious and well-tolerated. This review summarizes compounds, herbal extracts, and herbal complexes of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that have demonstrated antiepileptic effects through their modulation of NMDARs and AMPARs over the past 25 years. Furthermore, this review also systematically synthesizes the molecular mechanisms underlying these drugs, with the aim of facilitating the rational design and translational development of future antiepileptic therapeutic agents.