Valproate or VPA is a drug with the different forms, valproic acid, Sodium Valproate and Valproate semisodium. It is mostly used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder. It is also used to prevent migraines. It is useful to prevent some kinds of seizures. It can be given intravenously or by mouth.

Common side effects of this medication are sleepiness, dry mouth, weakness, vomiting and nausea. Serious side effects can include liver problems, pancreatitis and an increased suicide risk.  Valproate is known to cause birth defects and miscarriages in pregnant women who use the medicine, so it is not recommended for women who are pregnant or able to become pregnant to take Valproate.

Overdose and poisoning

Too much valproic acid can result in sleepiness, shaking, near unconsciousness, shallow breathing, coma, metabolic acidosis, and death. Normal plasma valproic acid levels are in a range of 20–100 mg/l during managed treatment, but may reach 150–1500 mg/l after serious poisoning.

Brand names

Brand names of valproic acid

Branded products include:

 Absenor (Orion Corporation Finland)
 Convulex (G.L. Pharma GmbH Austria)
 Depakene (Abbott Laboratories in US and Canada)
 Depakine (Sanofi Aventis France)
 Depakine (Sanofi Synthelabo Romania)
 Depalept (Sanofi Aventis Israel)
 Deprakine (Sanofi Aventis Finland)
 Encorate (Sun Pharmaceuticals India)
 Epival (Abbott Laboratories US and Canada)
 Epilim (Sanofi Synthelabo Australia and South Africa)
 Stavzor (Noven Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
 Valcote (Abbott Laboratories Argentina)
 Valpakine (Sanofi Aventis Brazil)

Brand names of sodium valproate

Portugal
 Tablets – Diplexil-R by Bial.

United States
 Intravenous injection – Depacon by Abbott Laboratories.
 Syrup – Depakene by Abbott Laboratories. (Note Depakene capsules are valproic acid).
 Depakote tablets are a mixture of sodium valproate and valproic acid.
 Tablets – Eliaxim by Bial.

Australia
Epilim Crushable Tablets Sanofi
Epilim Sugar Free Liquid Sanofi
Epilim Syrup Sanofi
Epilim Tablets Sanofi
Sodium Valproate Sandoz Tablets Sanofi
Valpro Tablets Alphapharm
Valproate Winthrop Tablets Sanofi
Valprease tablets Sigma

New Zealand
Epilim by Sanofi-Aventis

All the above formulations are Pharmac-subsidised.

UK
 Depakote Tablets (as in USA)
 Tablets – Orlept by Wockhardt and Epilim by Sanofi
 Oral solution – Orlept Sugar Free by Wockhardt and Epilim by Sanofi
 Syrup – Epilim by Sanofi-Aventis
 Intravenous injection – Epilim Intravenous by Sanofi
 Extended release tablets – Epilim Chrono by Sanofi is a combination of sodium valproate and valproic acid in a 2.3:1 ratio.
 Enteric-coated tablets – Epilim EC200 by Sanofi is a 200-mg sodium valproate enteric-coated tablet.

UK only
 Capsules – Episenta prolonged release by Beacon
 Sachets – Episenta prolonged release by Beacon
 Intravenous solution for injection – Episenta solution for injection by Beacon

Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Finland, Sweden
 Tablets – Orfiril by Desitin Pharmaceuticals
 Intravenous injection – Orfiril IV by Desitin Pharmaceuticals

South Africa
 Syrup – Convulex by Byk Madaus
 Tablets – Epilim by Sanofi-synthelabo

Malaysia
 Tablets – Epilim by Sanofi-Aventis

Romania
 Companies are SANOFI-AVENTIS FRANCE, GEROT PHARMAZEUTIKA GMBH and DESITIN ARZNEIMITTEL GMBH
 Types are Syrup, Extended release mini tablets, Gastric resistant coated tablets, Gastric resistant soft capsules, Extended release capsules, Extended release tablets and Extended release coated tablets

Canada
 Intravenous injection – Epival or Epiject by Abbott Laboratories.
 Syrup – Depakene by Abbott Laboratories its generic formulations include Apo-Valproic  and ratio-Valproic .

Japan
 Tablets – Depakene by Kyowa Hakko Kirin
 Extended release tablets – Depakene-R by Kyowa Hakko Kogyo and Selenica-R by Kowa
 Syrup – Depakene by Kyowa Hakko Kogyo

Europe
In much of Europe, Dépakine and Depakine Chrono (tablets) are equivalent to Epilim and Epilim Chrono above.

Taiwan
Tablets (white round tablet) – Depakine (帝拔癲 / di-ba-dian) by Sanofi Winthrop Industrie (France)

Israel
 Depalept (equivalent of Epilim) 
 Depalept Chrono (extended release tablets; equivalent of Epilim Chrono)

India, Russia and CIS countries 
 Valprol CR by Intas Pharmaceutical (India)
 Encorate Chrono by Sun Pharmaceutical (India)
 Serven Chrono by Leeven APL Biotech (India)

Brand names of valproate semisodium
 Brazil – Depakote by Abbott Laboratories and Torval CR by Torrent do Brasil
 Canada – Epival by Abbott Laboratories
 Mexico – Epival and Epival ER (extended release) by Abbott Laboratories
 United Kingdom – Depakote (for psychiatric conditions) and Epilim (for epilepsy) by Sanofi-Aventis and generics
 United States – Depakote and Depakote ER (extended release) by Abbott Laboratories and generics
 India – Valance and Valance OD by Abbott Healthcare Pvt Ltd, Divalid ER by Linux laboratories Pvt Ltd, Valex ER by Sigmund Promedica, Dicorate by Sun Pharma
 Germany – Ergenyl Chrono by Sanofi-Aventis and generics
 Chile – Valcote and Valcote ER by Abbott Laboratories
 France and other European countries — Depakote
 Peru – Divalprax by AC Farma Laboratories
 China – Diprate OD

References

Drugs