Serum nitrite and nitrate levels in epileptic children using valproic acid or carbamazepine

• Published in: Brain & development (Tokyo. 1979) 2004, Vol.26 (1), p.15-18
• Main Authors: Karabiber, Hamza, Yakinci, Cengiz, Durmaz, Yasar, Temel, Ismail, Mehmet, Nihayet
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anticonvulsants - therapeutic use; Carbamazepine; Carbamazepine - therapeutic use; Child; Epilepsy - blood; Epilepsy - drug therapy; Epileptic children; Female; Humans; Male; Nitrates - blood; Nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Nitrites - blood; Valproic acid; Valproic Acid - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 0387-7604; 1872-7131
• DOI: 10.1016/S0387-7604(03)00076-7

In experimental epilepsy studies, nitric oxide was found to act as both proconvulsant and anticonvulsant. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of valproic acid and carbamazepine on serum levels of nitrite and nitrate, which are the metabolites of nitric oxide. To achieve this goal, serum nitrite and nitrate levels were determined in active epileptic 34 children using valproic acid and 23 children using carbamazepine and in non-active epileptic 38 children (control group) not using any antiepileptic drug. In the valproic acid group serum nitrite and nitrate levels were 2.66±2.11 μmol/l and 69.35±23.20 μmol/l, 1.89±1.01 μmol/l and 49.39±10.61 μmol/l in the carbamazepine group, and 1.22±0.55 μmol/l, 29.53±10.05 μmol in the control group, respectively. Nitrite and nitrate levels were significantly high in both valproic acid and carbamazepine groups compared to the control group ( P