isosafrole

Isosafrole is a small molecule phenylpropene and a structural analog of the antiepileptic drug stiripentol. Research published in *Science* by investigators at Okayama University identified isosafrole as a potent inhibitor of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), an enzyme involved in the astrocyte-to-neuron lactate shuttle. By blocking LDH, isosafrole restricts the metabolic fuel available to neurons, thereby suppressing the hyperexcitability and excessive firing that characterize epileptic seizures. This mechanism effectively mimics the therapeutic metabolic shift induced by a ketogenic diet. In preclinical mouse models, isosafrole demonstrated superior anticonvulsant activity compared to stiripentol, suggesting its potential as a lead compound for a new class of antiepileptic therapies targeting brain energy metabolism.

Other names

1,2-methylenedioxy-4-propenylbenzene