Ethosuximide 250 mg Capsule, Liquid Filled, 100-count
🆔 Identity & classification
Where does this data come from?
🏷️ RxNorm drug class
This medicine belongs to the Anti-epileptic Agent class.
Where does this data come from?
🏭 Manufacturer & labeler
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🩺 Clinical
Ethosuximide is used to control absence seizures (petit mal) (a type of seizure in which there is a very short loss of awareness during which the person may stare straight ahead or blink his eyes and does not respond to others). Ethosuximide is in a class of medications called anticonvulsants. It works by reducing abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
Read the full MedlinePlus article ↗- An absence seizure is a brief episode — usually just a few seconds — where you or your child suddenly stares blankly and loses awareness, then snaps back as if nothing happened. Th...
- What exactly is an absence seizure, and will ethosuximide stop them?
- Ethosuximide comes as a capsule or a liquid solution, and you take it by mouth. Your doctor will start you on a lower dose and gradually increase it until your seizures are well co...
- How do I take it, and does it matter if I take it with food?
Patient education
Supplement & herbal interactions
Some supplements/herbs that may interact with Ethosuximide — tap one for details:
Ethosuximide may be associated with lower levels of 1 nutrient — worth a chat with your pharmacist, not a cause for alarm.
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Ask a licensed pharmacist directly — free, answered by our team.
💊 What it looks like
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🧪 Inactive Ingredients / Excipients
Inactive ingredients, also called excipients, are components of the drug product other than the active ingredient. They may include fillers, dyes, coatings, preservatives, flavors, or other formulation ingredients.
💡 Tap an ingredient (hover on desktop) to see what it is and why it’s used.
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UNII H77VEI93A8
A synthetic yellow dye used to color medications. It helps identify the drug and make it visually distinctive, with no effect on how the medicine works.
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UNII XM0M87F357
A dark iron oxide compound that gives medicines their black or dark color. It's used as a colorant in tablets and capsules to help identify the product and make it visually distinctive.
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UNII 2G86QN327L
Gelatin is a protein derived from animal collagen, commonly used in medicines as a gelling agent and capsule material. It helps create soft or hard capsule shells that hold and release medication, and can also thicken liquid formulations.
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UNII PDC6A3C0OX
Glycerin is a clear, thick liquid derived from plant oils or fats. It acts as a humectant to retain moisture, a sweetener, and a solvent in medications.
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UNII 3NXW29V3WO
Hypromellose is a plant-based thickener made from cellulose. It's used in medicines as a binder to hold ingredients together, a coating for tablets, and a thickener for liquids.
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UNII 3WJQ0SDW1A
Polyethylene glycol is a synthetic liquid or solid polymer used in medicines as a solvent, lubricant, and humectant. It helps dissolve active ingredients, reduces friction during manufacturing, and retains moisture in the final product.
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UNII 6DC9Q167V3
Propylene glycol is a clear liquid derived from petroleum or vegetable sources. It acts as a solvent, humectant, and preservative in medicines, helping dissolve active ingredients and maintain product stability.
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UNII 059QF0KO0R
Water is a liquid solvent that dissolves and mixes ingredients together in liquid medicines, syrups, and injections. It helps distribute the active drug evenly throughout the product.
8 inactive ingredients listed in the exact product block matched to this NDC.
Where does this data come from?
ingredient classCode="IACT" elements from the exact product block matched by this NDC. Label-section narrative from DailyMed / the openFDA label index is shown separately when available.Inactive ingredient FAQ
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💲 Pricing
A drug doesn't have one price. Each row is a different public payment system, and none is what you'd pay at the counter — that depends on your insurance. The ⓘ on each row explains what it measures.
| Price system | Per ea | Per package |
|---|---|---|
| Retail pharmacies payNADAC · weekly | $0.248 | $24.83 / 100 capsules |
| Medicaid paysCMS SDUD · 12 mo | $0.3900 | $39.00 / 100 capsules |
| Medicare drug plans payPart D · quarterly | No Part D plan price is available for this NDC in our data. | |
Where does this data come from?
🔁 Therapeutic equivalents
| Product | Labeler | Pack | NADAC/unit | TE | Status | Price vs. this |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethosuximide 250 mg 42806-0708-01 | Epic | 100 capsules | $0.248 | AB | Availability likely | — |
| Ethosuximide 250 mg 42806-0711-01 | Epic | 100 capsules | $0.248 | AB | Availability likely | — |
| Ethosuximide 250 mg 62135-0790-12 | Chartwell | 120 capsules | $0.248 | — | Availability likely | — |
| Ethosuximide 250 mg 64380-0878-06 | Strides | 100 capsules | $0.248 | AB | Availability likely | — |
| Ethosuximide 250 mgthis 69452-0152-20 | Bionpharma | 100 capsules | $0.248 | AB | Availability likely | — |
| Zarontin 250 mg 00071-0237-24 | Parke-Davis | 100 capsules | $1.309 | AB | Availability likely | +427% |
| Ethosuximide 250 mg 63629-8005-01 | Bryant | 90 capsules | — | AB | FDA listed | — |
Where does this data come from?
⏳ Availability & generic status
This product is an FDA-approved generic. Other versions of the same drug are listed under Therapeutic equivalents, least expensive first.
Where does this data come from?
🗺️ Medicaid utilization & spend
📊 Medicare Part D spend CMS · PART D · 2026 (Q1)
🔬 Reported adverse events (FAERS)
Top reported reactions
Reporter sex
Serious outcomes
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📦 Packaging — all sizes for this product
| Package NDC | Description | Marketing start | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 69452-0152-20 You're viewing this | 100 CAPSULE, LIQUID FILLED in 1 BOTTLE, PLASTIC (69452-152-20) | 2016-10-21 | Active |
📄 Full prescribing information FDA SPL
🎯 Indications and Usage ▾
INDICATIONS AND USAGE Ethosuximide capsules are indicated for the control of absence (petit mal) epilepsy.
⏱️ Dosage and Administration ▾
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Ethosuximide capsules are administered by the oral route. The initial dose for patients 3 years to 6 years of age is one capsule (250 mg) per day; for patients 6 years of age and older, 2 capsules (500 mg) per day. The dose thereafter must be individualized according to the patient's response.
Dosage should be increased by small increments. One useful method is to increase the daily dose by 250 mg every four to seven days until control is achieved with minimal side effects. Dosages exceeding 1.5 g daily, in divided doses, should be administered only under the strictest supervision of the physician.
The optimal dose for most pediatric patients is 20 mg/kg/day. This dose has given average plasma levels within the accepted therapeutic range of 40 mcg/mL to 100 mcg/mL. Subsequent dose schedules can be based on effectiveness and plasma level determinations.
Ethosuximide capsules may be administered in combination with other anticonvulsants when other forms of epilepsy coexist with absence (petit mal). The optimal dose for most pediatric patients is 20 mg/kg/day.
⛔ Contraindications ▾
CONTRAINDICATION Ethosuximide should not be used in patients with a history of hypersensitivity to succinimides.
⚠️ Warnings ▾
WARNINGS Blood dyscrasias Blood dyscrasias, including some with fatal outcome, have been reported to be associated with the use of ethosuximide; therefore, periodic blood counts should be performed. Should signs and/or symptoms of infection (e.g., sore throat, fever) develop, blood counts should be considered at that point. Effects on Liver and Kidneys Ethosuximide is capable of producing morphological and functional changes in the animal liver.
In humans, abnormal liver and renal function studies have been reported. Ethosuximide should be administered with extreme caution to patients with known liver or renal disease. Periodic urinalysis and liver function studies are advised for all patients receiving the drug.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Cases of systemic lupus erythematosus have been reported with the use of ethosuximide. The physician should be alert to this possibility. Suicidal Behavior and Ideation Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), including ethosuximide, increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior in patients taking these drugs for any indication.
Patients treated with any AED for any indication should be monitored for the emergence or worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts or behavior, and/or any unusual changes in mood or behavior. Pooled analyses of 199 placebo-controlled clinical trials (mono- and adjunctive therapy) of 11 different AEDs showed that patients randomized to one of the AEDs had approximately twice the risk (adjusted Relative Risk 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2, 2.7) of suicidal thinking or behavior compared to patients randomized to placebo. In these trials, which had a median treatment duration of 12 weeks, the estimated incidence rate of suicidal behavior or ideation among 27,863 AED-treated patients was 0.43%, compared to 0.24% among 16,029 placebo-treated patients, representing an increase of approximately one case of suicidal thinking or behavior for every 530 patients treated.
There were four suicides in drug-treated patients in the trials and none in placebo-treated patients, but the number is too small to allow any conclusion about drug effect on suicide. The increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior with AEDs was observed as early as one week after starting drug treatment with AEDs and persisted for the duration of treatment assessed. Because most trials included in the analysis did not extend beyond 24 weeks, the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior beyond 24 weeks could not be assessed.
The risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior was generally consistent among drugs in the data analyzed. The finding of increased risk with AEDs of varying mechanisms of action and across a range of indications suggests that the risk applies to all AEDs used for any indication. The risk did not vary substantially by age (5 years to 100 years) in the clinical trials analyzed.
Table 1 shows absolute and relative risk by indication for all evaluated AEDs. Table 1: Risk by indication for antiepileptic drugs in the pooled analysis Indication Placebo Patients with Events Per 1,000 Patients Drug Patients with Events Per 1,000 Patients Relative Risk: Incidence of Events in Drug Patients/Incidence in Placebo Patients Risk Difference: Additional Drug Patients with Events Per 1,000 Patients Epilepsy 1.0 3.4 3.5
2.4Psychiatric 5.7 8.5 1.5
2.9Other 1.0 1.8 1.9
0.9Total 2.4 4.3 1.8
1.9The relative risk for suicidal thoughts or behavior was higher in clinical trials for epilepsy than in clinical trials for psychiatric or other conditions, but the absolute risk differences were similar for the epilepsy and psychiatric indications. Anyone considering prescribing ethosuximide or any other AED must balance the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior with the risk of untreated illness. Epilepsy and many other illnesses for which AEDs are prescribed are themselves associated with morbidity and mortality and an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior.
Should suicidal thoughts and behavior emerge during treatment, the pres…
🤒 Adverse Reactions ▾
ADVERSE REACTIONS Body As A Whole: Allergic reaction, Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS). Gastrointestinal System: Gastrointestinal symptoms occur frequently and include anorexia, vague gastric upset, nausea and vomiting, cramps, epigastric and abdominal pain, weight loss, and diarrhea. There have been reports of gum hypertrophy and swelling of the tongue.
Hemopoietic System: Hemopoietic complications associated with the administration of ethosuximide have included leukopenia, agranulocytosis, pancytopenia, with or without bone marrow suppression, and eosinophilia. Nervous System: Neurologic and sensory reactions reported during therapy with ethosuximide have included drowsiness, headache, dizziness, euphoria, hiccups, irritability, hyperactivity, lethargy, fatigue, and ataxia. Psychiatric or psychological aberrations associated with ethosuximide administration have included disturbances of sleep, night terrors, inability to concentrate, and aggressiveness.
These effects may be noted particularly in patients who have previously exhibited psychological abnormalities. There have been rare reports of paranoid psychosis, increased libido, and increased state of depression with overt suicidal intentions. Integumentary System: Dermatologic manifestations which have occurred with the administration of ethosuximide have included urticaria, pruritic erythematous rashes, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and hirsutism.
Special Senses: Myopia. Genitourinary System: Vaginal bleeding, microscopic hematuria.
🔄 Drug Interactions ▾
Drug Interactions Since ethosuximide may interact with concurrently administered antiepileptic drugs, periodic serum level determinations of these drugs may be necessary (e.g., ethosuximide may elevate phenytoin serum levels and valproic acid has been reported to both increase and decrease ethosuximide levels).
🤰 Pregnancy ▾
Pregnancy To provide information regarding the effects of in utero exposure to ethosuximide, physicians are advised to recommend that pregnant patients taking ethosuximide enroll in the NAAED Pregnancy Registry. This can be done by calling the toll-free number 1-888-233-2334, and must be done by patients themselves. Information on the registry can also be found at the website: http://www.aedpregnancyregistry.org/ See WARNINGS .
🧒 Pediatric Use ▾
Pediatric Use Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients below the age of 3 years have not been established (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION section).
🆘 Overdosage ▾
OVERDOSAGE Acute overdoses may produce nausea, vomiting, and CNS depression including coma with respiratory depression. A relationship between ethosuximide toxicity and its plasma levels has not been established. The therapeutic range of serum levels is 40 mcg/mL to 100 mcg/mL, although levels as high as 150 mcg/mL have been reported without signs of toxicity.
Treatment Treatment should include emesis (unless the patient is or could rapidly become obtunded, comatose, or convulsing) or gastric lavage, activated charcoal, cathartics, and general supportive measures. Hemodialysis may be useful to treat ethosuximide overdose. Forced diuresis and exchange transfusions are ineffective.
🧬 Clinical Pharmacology ▾
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY Ethosuximide suppresses the paroxysmal three cycle per second spike and wave activity associated with lapses of consciousness which is common in absence (petit mal) seizures. The frequency of epileptiform attacks is reduced, apparently by depression of the motor cortex and elevation of the threshold of the central nervous system to convulsive stimuli.
📦 How Supplied / Storage and Handling ▾
HOW SUPPLIED Ethosuximide capsules, USP 250 mg are supplied as: Clear, orange-colored, oval-shaped, softgel capsules in bottles of 100, Printed PA1000 NDC 69452-152-20. Store at 20°-25°C (68°-77°F) [See USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Dispense in a tight, light-resistant container as defined in the USP. Protect from moisture.
📦 Storage and Handling ▾
Store at 20°-25°C (68°-77°F) [See USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Dispense in a tight, light-resistant container as defined in the USP. Protect from moisture.
📋 Description ▾
DESCRIPTION Ethosuximide is an anticonvulsant succinimide, chemically designated as alpha-ethyl-alpha-methyl-succinimide, with the following structural formula: Each ethosuximide capsule, USP contains 250 mg ethosuximide, USP. Also contains: polyethylene glycol. The capsule contains FD&C yellow No. 6, gelatin, glycerin, hypromellose, iron oxide black, propylene glycol, and purified water. Chemical Structure
💬 Information for Patients ▾
Information for Patients Inform patients of the availability of a Medication Guide and instruct them to read the Medication Guide prior to taking ethosuximide capsules. Instruct patients to take ethosuximide capsules only as prescribed. Ethosuximide may impair the mental and/or physical abilities required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks, such as driving a motor vehicle or other such activity requiring alertness; therefore, the patient should be cautioned accordingly.
Patients taking ethosuximide should be advised of the importance of adhering strictly to the prescribed dosage regimen. Patients should be instructed to promptly contact their physician if they develop signs and/or symptoms (e.g., sore throat, fever), suggesting an infection. Patients, their caregivers, and families should be counseled that AEDs, including ethosuximide, may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior and should be advised of the need to be alert for the emergence or worsening of symptoms of depression, any unusual changes in mood or behavior, or the emergence of suicidal thoughts, behavior, or thoughts about self-harm.
Behaviors of concern should be reported immediately to healthcare providers. Prior to initiation of treatment with ethosuximide, the patient should be instructed that a rash may herald a serious medical event and that the patient should report any such occurrence to a physician immediately. Patients should be encouraged to enroll in the North American Antiepileptic Drug (NAAED) Pregnancy Registry if they become pregnant.
This registry is collecting information about the safety of antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy. To enroll, patients can call the toll-free number 1-888-233-2334 (see PRECAUTIONS: Pregnancy section).
💬 Medication Guide ▾
MEDICATION GUIDE Ethosuximide (eth” oh sux’ i mide) Capsules, USP Read this Medication Guide before you start taking ethosuximide capsules and each time you get a refill. There may be new information. This information does not take the place of talking to your healthcare provider about your medical condition or treatment.
If you have any questions about ethosuximide capsules, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. What is the most important information I should know about ethosuximide capsules? Do not stop taking ethosuximide capsules without first talking to your healthcare provider.
Stopping ethosuximide capsules suddenly can cause serious problems. Ethosuximide can cause serious side effects, including: 1. Rare but serious blood problems that may be life-threatening.
Call your healthcare provider right away if you have: fever, swollen glands, or sore throat that come and go or do not go away frequent infections or an infection that does not go away easy bruising red or purple spots on your body bleeding gums or nose bleeds severe fatigue or weakness 2. Drug reactions that may affect different parts of the body such as your liver, kidneys, heart, or blood cells. You may or may not have a rash with these types of reactions.
These reactions can be very serious and can cause death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms: joint pain and swelling muscle pain fatigue, weakness low-grade fever pain in the chest that is worse with breathing skin rash swollen lymph glands swelling of your face yellowing of your skin or the white part of your eyes 3. Like other antiepileptic drugs, ethosuximide may cause suicidal thoughts or actions in a very small number of people, about 1 in 500.
Call a healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you: thoughts about suicide or dying attempts to commit suicide new or worse depression new or worse anxiety feeling agitated or restless panic attacks trouble sleeping (insomnia) new or worse irritability acting aggressive, being angry, or violent acting on dangerous impulses an extreme increase in activity and talking (mania) other unusual changes in behavior or mood How can I watch for early symptoms of suicidal thoughts and actions?
Pay attention to any changes, especially sudden changes, in mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. Keep all follow-up visits with your healthcare provider as scheduled. Call your healthcare provider between visits as needed, especially if you are worried about symptoms.
Do not stop ethosuximide capsules without first talking to a healthcare provider. Stopping ethosuximide capsules suddenly can cause serious problems. Stopping a seizure medicine suddenly in a patient who has epilepsy can cause seizures that will not stop (status epilepticus).
Suicidal thoughts or actions can be caused by things other than medicines. If you have suicidal thoughts or actions, your healthcare provider may check for other causes. What are ethosuximide capsules?
Ethosuximide capsules are prescription medicine used to treat absence (petit mal) seizures. Who should not take ethosuximide capsules? Do not take ethosuximide capsules if you are allergic to succinimides (methsuximide or ethosuximide), or any of the ingredients in ethosuximide capsules.
See the end of this Medication Guide for a complete list of ingredients in ethosuximide capsules. What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking ethosuximide capsules? Before you take ethosuximide capsules, tell your healthcare provider if you: have or had liver problems have or have had depression, mood problems or suicidal thoughts or behavior have any other medical conditions are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
It is not known if ethosuximide can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant while taking ethosuximide capsules. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you should take e…