Trimethadione is an oxazolidinedione

Oxazolidinedione

Oxazolidinedione is a heterocyclic chemical compound that forms the core structure of a variety anticonvulsant drugs including:* Ethadione* Paramethadione* Trimethadione...

 anticonvulsant

Anticonvulsant

The anticonvulsants are a diverse group of pharmaceuticals used in the treatment of epileptic seizures. Anticonvulsants are also increasingly being used in the treatment of bipolar disorder, since many seem to act as mood stabilizers, and in the treatment of neuropathic pain. The goal of an...

. It is most commonly used to treat epileptic conditions that are resistant to other treatments.

Fetal trimethadione syndrome

If administered during pregnancy, fetal trimethadione syndrome

Fetal trimethadione syndrome

Fetal trimethadione syndrome is a set of birth defects caused by the administration of the anticonvulsants trimethadione or paramethadione to epileptic mothers during pregnancy.Fetal trimethadione syndrome is classified as a rare disease by the National...

 may result causing facial dysmorphism (short upturned nose, slanted eyebrows), cardiac defects, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), and mental retardation. The fetal loss rate

Miscarriage

Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...

 while using trimethadione has been reported to be as high as 87%.

Chemistry

Trimethadione, 3,5,5-trimethyloxazolidine-2,4-dione, may be synthesized by methylating 5,5-trimethyloxazolidine-2,4-dione with dimethylsulfate. Starting 5,5-trimethyloxazolidine-2,4-dione is in turn synthesized by the cyclocondensation of the ester of 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid with urea

Urea

Urea or carbamide is an organic compound with the chemical formula CO2. The molecule has two —NH2 groups joined by a carbonyl functional group....

.

• J.S.H. Davies, W. Hook, (1951).
• M.A. Spielman, (1951).