The Effect of Carnitine on the Metabolism of Valproic Acid in Epileptic Patients

SAKEMI, K., HAYASAKA, K., TAHARA, M., SANADA, Y. and TAKADA, G. The Effect of Carnitine on the Metabolim of Valproic Acid in Epileptic Patients. Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 1992, 167 (2), 89-92 -The half-life of valproic acid (VPA) was studied in 8 epileptic and severely mental retarded patients before and after one month of carnitine supplementation. Serum carnitine concentration was significantly decreased and VPA half-life was prolonged especially in adult patients before carnitine supplementation. After the treatment with carnitine, serum carnitine concentration was increased, and prolonged half-lives of VPA were corrected near to the normal range (from 12.2±4.2hr to 9.7±2.2hr; p<0.05). ontroled state of epilepsy was unchanged during the short period of observation.