Psychiatric medications that suppress major mood swings (such as found in manic-depressive disorders and certain personality disorders), mood stabilisers are almost always anticonvulsants, the notable exception being lithium.
Carbamazepine
Interestingly, this drug renders birth control pills useless by lowering the levels of estrogen produced by them. It was first marketed as an anticonvulsant in the UK in 1965; the USA followed suit in 1974.
Common side effects include malco-ordination, drowsiness and nausea; certain preparations when taken regularly can also vastly reduce alcohol tolerance.
Gabapentin
Well tolerated with few side effects (mostly), gabapentin was synthesised to resemble the chemical structure of GABA. It is primarily used to treat epilepsy but is also used in the treatment of bipolar disorder, painful neuropathies, and anxiety disorders. It is somewhat controversial as a treatment for bipolar disorder as some high profile research has indicated that the drug is no more effective than placebo.
Lamotrigine
An anticonvulsant drug used to treat bipolar disorders and epilepsy, lamotrigine is the only anticonvulsant mood stabilising drug to tackle both the manic and the depressive sides of a bipolar disorder; it is also the first drug to be approved for the treatment of bipolar I since the introduction of lithium.
Antidepressant effects kick in at doses of 100mg a day and mood stabilising effects generally bite at between 100mg to 200mg per day (epilepsy is treatable with between 300mg to 500mg per day). Common side effects include insomnia, dizziness and headaches; nursing whilst on this drug is not recommended.
Levetiracetam
I have no information on this drug at this time.
Lithium
Administered as one of a number of salts, lithium is primarily used as a mood stabiliser to control the manic phase of bipolar disorders. It can additionally, however, be used to augment the effectiveness of antidepressants and even antipsychotics (a mixture of clozapine and lithium, for instance, is often prescribed for patients who show little or no improvement when on more standard treatments). Lithium is thought to act by reducing the amount of the monoamine neurotransmitter noradrenaline being produced and by increasing the amount of the monoamine neurotransmitter serotonin being produced.
The drug was first considered as a treatment for manic illnesses in 1949 and was initially thought of as a tranquilliser. Although it s a strong medication and one that is often well responded to, it must be mentioned that patients on this drug will require regular blood tests and will be subject to close scrutiny, as even mild overdoses can cause problems (the most therapeutic dose is only just south of the maximum safe dose). However, don't let this put you off it as a treatment - if it were extremely dangerous, it wouldn't be available for prescription. The drug does, however, have a flattening effect, usually temporary - in essence, you'll calm down but your enthusiasm for things in general my ebb for a while.
Oxcarbazepine
A derivative of carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine boasts a far better side effects profile than it's parent drug; the only chemical difference is the addition of one oxygen atom per molecule. It's an anticonvulsant and mood stabilising drug and is primarily used in the treatment of bipolar disorders and epilepsy.
First introduced to Denmark in 1990 as an anticonvulsant, typical side effects can include blurred vision, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and even - rarely - hyponatremia.
Phenytoin
I have no information on this drug at this time.
Sodium Valproate
This anticonvulsant drug is also frequently used as a mood stabiliser, limiting manic episodes and, to a lesser extent, depressive episodes.
Tiagabine
I have no information on this drug at this time.
Topiramate
Used to treat epilepsy in both children and adults, topiramate can also be used to treat migraines. It can also be used in the treatment of bipolar disorder, although this capacity is somewhat controversial and remains off-label.
Common side effects include feelings of pins and needles and an altered sense of taste.
Valproate Semisodium (Divalproex Sodium)
A compound of valproic acid and sodium valproate, valproate semisodium is an anticonvulsant drug.
Valproic Acid
Used as a treatment for schizophrenia, migraines, epilepsy and bipolar disorders, valproic acid sports dyspepsia and/or weight gain as the main side effect symptoms.
Zonisamide
I have no information on this drug at this time.