background: the physiologic function of carnitine, oxidation of fatty acid and lipid  metabolism, is severely affected in carnitine deficiency, secondary forms of which lead to renal tubular disorders and chronic renal failure. reduction in serum carnitine has been frequently reported in patients and experimental animals treated with antiepileptic drugs, one of which, valproic acid has consiste...

BACKGROUND The use of valproic acid in the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of spina bifida, but data on the risks of other congenital malformations are limited. METHODS We first combined data from eight published cohort studies (1565 pregnancies in which the women were exposed to valproic acid, among which 118 major malformations were observed) and identified...

Dear editor, Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) is a congenital macrocytic anemia characterized by defective erythroid progenitor maturation with normal megakaryocytic and granulocytic differentiation. There is also reticulocytopenia and increased red blood cell (RBC) fetal hemoglobin (HbF). About 25% of patients have a mutation on chromosome 19 that involves the gene encoding ribosomal protein S19 ...

Valproic acid is the most widely used anti-epilep-tic drug in children, and it is probably the most frequent cause of drug-induced acute pancreatitis. Outcomes for patients with valproic acid-associated pancreatitis vary from full recovery after discontinuation of the drug to severe acute pancreatitis and death. Here, we present a case of valproic acid-induced severe acute pancreatitis with pse...

Valproic (2-propylpentanoic) acid is a commonly used drug in the treatment of bipolar disorder and epilepsy. The molecular mechanism that underlies its clinical efficacy remains controversial and is complicated by the broad range of intracellular effects of valproic acid, including its ability to inhibit histone deacetylase (HDAC) and induce protein chaperone expression. Here we show that an es...

Histone deacetylase inhibitors have attracted considerable attention because of their ability to overcome the differentiation block in leukemic blasts, an effect achieved either alone or in combination with differentiating agents, such as all-trans retinoic acid. We have previously reported favorable effects of the potent histone deacetylase inhibitor valproic acid in combination with all-trans...

Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) is a congenital macrocytic anemia characterized by severely reduced erythroid precursors with normal megakaryocytic and granulocytic differentiation.1 There is also reticulocytopenia and increased red blood cell (RBC) fetal hemoglobin (HbF).1 About 25% of patients harbor a mutation on chromosome 19 that involves the gene encoding ribosomal protein S19.1 Many patien...