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

Abstract 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