Design & synthesis of N′-[substituted] pyridine-4-carbohydrazides as potential anticonvulsant agents

► N′-[substituted] pyridine-4-carbohydrazides were reported as potential anticonvulsant agents. ► N′-[4-(4-fluorophenoxy)benzylidene] pyridine-4-carbohydrazide showed a MES ED50 value of 128.3 mg/kg and 6 Hz ED50 value of 53.3 mg/kg in mice. ► N′-[4-(4-fluorophenoxy)benzylidene] pyridine-4-carbohydrazide showed protection index (PI value) of 2.67 in the MES test and 6.44 in 6 Hz test. ► N′-[4-(4-methylphenoxy)benzylidene]pyridine-4-carbohydrazide exhibited good binding properties with epilepsy molecular targets, in Lamarckian genetic algorithm based flexible docking study.