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Valproic acid

  • Prescription medicine
  • Prescription only
  • Identity checked
  • Sources last checked 2026-09-04

This page shows what was measured, who it was measured in, and what that does not settle.

What Valproic acid does in the body

Valproic Acid is an anti-epileptic drug indicated for: Monotherapy and adjunctive therapy of complex partial seizures; sole and adjunctive therapy of simple and complex absence seizures; adjunctive therapy in patients with multiple seizure types that include absence seizures ( 1 )

From the FDA-approved label: Valproic acid dissociates to the valproate ion in the gastrointestinal tract. The mechanisms by which valproate exerts its antiepileptic effects have not been established. It has been suggested that its activity in epilepsy is related to increased brain concentrations of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).

Why people take it. Valproic Acid is an anti-epileptic drug indicated for: Monotherapy and adjunctive therapy of complex partial seizures; sole and adjunctive therapy of simple and complex absence seizures; adjunctive therapy in patients with multiple seizure types that include absence seizures ( 1 )

What happened in people

RNAWiki has not yet published a reviewed conclusion for this use.

A fixed RNAWiki sentence

Where this came from

Wording RNAWiki always uses, not a finding about this substance.

No reviewed claim names a result for any goal on this record.

No source is stored against this line.

The limit that matters most

Not recorded.

Where it acts
Not recorded.
Kind of result
No result is published, so no kind of result applies yet
Supervision
Professional supervision is normally required. A regulator classifies this substance in a way that restricts how it is supplied.

What the registries record it as

  • The substance registry classes this as chemical.

    FDA substance registry · 614OI1Z5WI · read 2026-08-29

Where each sentence above came from

The use the label states, quoted from it. No plain-language version of this sentence has been written.

The use the label states, quoted from it. It is written for a clinician, not for a reader without medical training.

No statement of the main limit is recorded.

The four opening statements run to 136 words.

Words this page uses

Four words worth knowing first

Chosen from what this page shows, with each one explained before the word it depends on.

Stand-in result

A stand-in result is a number measured because the real result takes too long.

A picture of it, and where the picture fails

It is like judging a journey by the speedometer rather than by arriving.

Where that stops being true. Speed does predict arrival. Many stand-in results do not predict the real one.

What people get wrong. A stand-in result is often reported as the result itself.

A surrogate endpoint substituted for a clinical endpoint, valid only where the substitution has been shown to hold.

Enzyme

An enzyme is a protein that speeds up one chemical change.

A picture of it, and where the picture fails

An enzyme is like a machine on a production line doing one cut.

Where that stops being true. A machine is switched on and off by a person. Enzymes are controlled by the cell.

What people get wrong. Enzymes are thought to be used up. They are not; they work again and again.

A catalytic protein that lowers the activation energy of a specific reaction.

Receptor

A receptor is a part of a cell that a signal fits into.

A picture of it, and where the picture fails

A receptor is like a lock waiting for one key.

Where that stops being true. A lock either opens or does not. A receptor can be half-triggered, or worn out.

What people get wrong. Fitting a receptor is read as causing a benefit. It causes a step, and nothing more.

A protein that binds a specific ligand and converts that binding into a cellular response.

Pathway

A pathway is a chain of steps inside a cell, each one setting off the next.

A picture of it, and where the picture fails

A pathway is like a row of dominoes.

Where that stops being true. Dominoes fall one way. Pathways loop back and can switch themselves off.

What people get wrong. Changing one step is read as changing the outcome. Other steps often absorb it.

An ordered series of molecular interactions producing a defined cellular change.

What happened in peopleRead from sources, not yet reviewed

What was measured, goal by goal

One row for each goal a registered study measured something for. One column for each kind of thing that could be measured.

Registered studies list 40 outcome measures that RNAWiki could read. A registered study says what someone planned to measure. It does not say what they found. 0 of the matched studies tested this substance, and 0 posted a result.

There is no single score. A strong test result and a weak life result are different facts.

Goals down the side, kinds of measurement across the top. Each cell says what kind of thing was registered, not what was found.
GoalLife outcomeWhat a body can doHow a person feelsA test resultA step in the bodyHarmsHow longWho was studied
MoodNothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a life outcome for this goal.Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a performance measure for this goal.Waiting for a reviewer2 registered symptom measure.Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a test result for this goal.Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a body-step measure for this goal.Not recordedHarms were not a registered measure for this goal.Not recordedNo finished study window is recorded.Waiting for a reviewerWho was studied is listed further down the page.
Which registered measures put each goal on this table
Mood
montgomery asberg depression rating scale; montgomery asberg depression rating scale total

Sorted by fixed word lists, version v1. A name the rules do not recognise stays unsorted rather than moving to the nearest column.

What each mark on this table means
Nothing in the sources checked
No registered study lists a life outcome for this goal.
Waiting for a reviewer
2 registered symptom measure.
Not recorded
Harms were not a registered measure for this goal.

What happened in peopleRead from sources, not yet reviewed

What happened in people

Each card is one study: the exact question it asked, who was in it, and whether it showed what it set out to show.

Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD)

The study did not show it

Who was studied
NCT00012558
How many people
5000
Study design
Not applicable
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
A number that stands in for health
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated

What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.

The limits of this study, and where it came from

Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.

How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.

Form and route. Oral

Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary

Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.

  • openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • PubChem PUG-REST · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot

survival free of discontinuation or alternative prevention drug (migraine trial)

The study did not show it

Who was studied
NCT02670161
How many people
3300
Study design
Phase 4
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
Living longer, or avoiding a major event
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated

What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.

The limits of this study, and where it came from

Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.

How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.

Form and route. Oral

Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary

Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.

  • openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • PubChem PUG-REST · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot

The Remission from Depression Questionnaire

The study did not show it

Who was studied
NCT06433635
How many people
2726
Study design
Phase 4
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
A number that stands in for health
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated

What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.

The limits of this study, and where it came from

Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.

How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.

Form and route. Oral

Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary

Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.

  • openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • PubChem PUG-REST · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot

Time to withdrawal from study medication (starting at V1) as a measure of combined efficacy and safety

The study did not show it

Who was studied
NCT00175903
How many people
1701
Study design
Phase 3
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
A number that stands in for health
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated

What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.

The limits of this study, and where it came from

Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.

How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.

Form and route. Oral

Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary

Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.

  • openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • PubChem PUG-REST · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot

Proportion of Participants Not Experiencing Relapse to Any Mood Episode Through Week 52, Phase 3

The study did not show it

Who was studied
NCT00261443
How many people
1270
Study design
Phase 4
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
A number that stands in for health
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated

What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.

The limits of this study, and where it came from

Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.

How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.

Form and route. Oral

Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary

Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.

  • openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • PubChem PUG-REST · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot

Change in symptom severity

The study did not show it

Who was studied
NCT05603104
How many people
1254
Study design
Phase 3
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
A number that stands in for health
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated

What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.

The limits of this study, and where it came from

Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.

How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.

Form and route. Oral

Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary

Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.

  • openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • PubChem PUG-REST · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
What we know
RNAWiki holds 6 written-up human studies for this substance, each with the question it asked.
How we know it
Each card names the study, the number of people and what the study set out to measure.
What this does not prove
These summaries were written by a person and have not been signed off as reviewed claims.
Why it matters
A study that failed is as informative as one that worked, and both are here.
What we still do not know
No reviewed claim exists, so no exact population, effect size or interval is published yet.

What happened in peopleRead from sources, not yet reviewed

How close this is to real life

The top step is something a person would feel or care about. The bottom is a guess from software. Filled steps are where evidence exists for this substance.

  1. Living longer, or avoiding a major event Evidence recorded. Death, a heart attack, a stroke, a hospital stay.3 registered measures of this kind. 1 written-up study measured this and did not show a benefit.
  2. What a body can do day to day Evidence recorded. Walking, dressing, breathing, recovering.1 registered measure of this kind.
  3. Measured performance Evidence recorded. How much was lifted, how far was run, how fast.1 registered measure of this kind.
  4. Symptoms and quality of life Evidence recorded. Pain, tiredness, mood, sleep, as the person rated it.3 registered measures of this kind.
  5. A number that stands in for health Evidence recorded. Cholesterol, blood sugar, bone density. A stand-in, not the thing itself.1 registered measure of this kind.
  6. A step measured inside a person Evidence recorded. Something measured in human tissue or human cells.A human record sits on the stored organism ladder.
  7. Animals Evidence recorded. Mice, rats, dogs. Useful for ideas, not proof about people.Stored records in C. elegans (roundworm), Mouse, Rat, Dog. A result in animals says what to test next. It does not say what happens in people.
  8. Cells in a dish Evidence recorded. Cells or chemistry on a bench, far from a whole body.Stored mechanism abstracts describe steps measured in cells or tissue.
  9. A guess from software No evidence recorded. Nobody measured it. RNAWiki never publishes one as a finding.RNAWiki stores no prediction for this record. Software can suggest a link. RNAWiki does not publish one as a finding.

Higher on these steps means closer to something a person would feel. It does not mean better done.

What it would be like to takeRead from sources, not yet reviewed

Felt, measured, or meaningful

Three different things that get called the same word. Registered studies measured all three, and mixing them is how a blood test becomes a health claim.

Felt

Things a person could notice without a test.

  • montgomery asberg depression rating scale
  • montgomery asberg depression rating scale total
  • cohen mansfield agitation inventory

Measured

Things only a test, a scale or a device shows.

  • cmax maximum observed concentration

Meaningful

Things that change how a life goes, not only a number.

  • survival
  • efficacy measured through motor function assessments
  • progression free survival
  • overall survival

A registered study says what someone planned to measure. It does not say what they found. A number moving is not the same as a life going better. The two are shown apart here.

Felt, but not shown to help. A person notices a change. No study showed it leads anywhere good.

Measured, but not felt. A number moves. The person notices nothing. Both can be true.

Measured, but not shown to matter. A number moves in the good direction. Nobody showed that lives went better.

Matters, but takes years. The result that counts may take longer than anyone would keep watching.

Names that fit none of the three (32)
  • heavy drinking days
  • who experience a marked and persistent bimodal response
  • cgi i
  • clinical response rate
  • clinician administered ptsd scale
  • young mania rating scale
  • mania rating scale
  • safety
  • mini mental state exam
  • safety labs
  • modified hammersmith change from baseline to 6 months
  • aggression
  • improvement of adhd symptoms
  • maximum tolerated dose
  • sedation
  • food intake
  • best response
  • response
  • response rate
  • time to progression

These are harms, study-process measures, or names the rules did not recognise. They are shown rather than dropped.

What it would be like to takeRead from sources, not yet reviewed

How long anything takes

Nine different lengths of time that get confused with each other. None of them is worked out from another.

  1. Before anything is noticed. RNAWiki does not store this separately, and never works it out from another figure on this page.

  2. Before a test result moves. RNAWiki does not store this separately, and never works it out from another figure on this page.

  3. Before performance moves. RNAWiki does not store this separately, and never works it out from another figure on this page.

  4. How long the result was watched. No finished study window is recorded for a study that tested this substance.

  5. How long people took it. How long people actually took it is not stored. The study window is not the same thing.

  6. How long people were followed. Follow-up length is not stored separately. It is never read off the study window, which would be a different thing.

  7. How fast the body clears it. 9 to 16 hours hours

    Read from the label, which states: “Mean terminal half-life for valproate monotherapy ranged from 9 to 16 hours following oral dosing regimens of 250 to 1,000 mg.”

  8. How long effects linger. RNAWiki does not store this separately, and never works it out from another figure on this page.

  9. Beyond the studies. Nothing is recorded about the long term.

    The longest finished study sets the edge of what anyone measured.

A study window is not how long people took it, and neither is how long they were followed. Where RNAWiki holds only one of the three, it shows one.

What is missing or unclearRead from sources, not yet reviewed

Were people like you studied?

RNAWiki cannot tell whether a study fits you. It can show who was in it, and where the result stops carrying.

Who was studied

People similar to this profile were included.

  • These highlights do not include all the information needed to use VALPROIC ACID CAPSULES safely and effectively. See full prescribing information for VALPROIC ACID CAPSULES. VALPROIC ACID capsules for oral use Initial U.S. Approval: 1978 WARNING: LIFE THREATENING ADVERSE REACTIONS SEE FULL PRESCRIBING INFORMATION FOR COMPLETE BOXED WARNING.

Who is missing from the studies

  • Which groups were under-represented in the studies has not been recorded for this substance. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, older adults, and people with liver or kidney conditions are commonly excluded from trials; nothing here says whether they were.

What the label states about particular groups

  • On pediatric, the label states: “Pediatric Clinical Trials Divalproex sodium was studied in seven pediatric clinical trials.”

    US prescribing information · cef3e335-5891-412f-89c4-79fcd2f145b7 · read 2026-08-30

  • On older people, the label states: “No patients above the age of 65 years were enrolled in double-blind prospective clinical trials of mania associated with bipolar illness.”

    US prescribing information · cef3e335-5891-412f-89c4-79fcd2f145b7 · read 2026-08-30

  • On people who are pregnant, the label states: “Registry There is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), including Valproic Acid, during pregnancy.”

    US prescribing information · cef3e335-5891-412f-89c4-79fcd2f145b7 · read 2026-08-30

  • On people who are breastfeeding, the label states: “Pregnant women receiving monotherapy for epilepsy were enrolled with assessment of their children at ages 3 years and 6 years.”

    US prescribing information · cef3e335-5891-412f-89c4-79fcd2f145b7 · read 2026-08-30

Where the result stopped carrying

  • This is a scope explorer, not a diagnosis engine.
  • It shows who was studied so you can see whether people similar to you were included.

RNAWiki cannot tell whether a study fits you. It can show who was in it.

What it would be like to takeRead from sources, not yet reviewed

Why it might seem to do nothing

A real effect and a noticed effect are different things. These are the recorded reasons the two come apart.

It was studied for a different goal

The studies measured something else entirely.

On this record: Some registered studies measured things that match no goal on this page.

It was studied in different people

The people in the studies were not much like the reader.

On this record: Which groups were under-represented in the studies has not been recorded for this substance. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, older adults, and people with liver or kidney conditions are commonly excluded from trials; nothing here says whether they were.

The evidence may simply be wrong

Small early studies often do not hold up.

On this record: RNAWiki has not yet published a reviewed conclusion for this use.

Other reasons RNAWiki checked and found nothing for (10)
A different form was studied
The studied form is not the form on the shelf. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
There was nothing to correct
Where a level is already normal, topping it up may change nothing. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
Something else had to happen too
In the studies it was paired with training, a diet or another treatment. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
The change is too small to feel
A real change can still sit below what a person notices. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
Day-to-day swing hides it
Sleep, food, stress and time of day move most numbers more than this would. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
Not enough time yet
The studies ran longer than the person has waited. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
It was not taken as studied
Missed days change the result, and studies count them. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
Something else changed at the same time
Two changes at once cannot be told apart afterwards. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
The product may not be what it says
Contents of a sold product are not always what the label states. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
No recorded reason
RNAWiki has nothing stored that would explain it. Nothing in this record points to this reason.

None of these is a reason to take more. Taking more is not a step this page ever suggests.

What it would be like to takeRead from sources, not yet reviewed

What taking it involves

The recorded facts about getting hold of it and using it. Nothing here is a suggestion about what you should do.

How it is supplied

Prescription only

Quoted from a source

Where this came from

Copied from a source RNAWiki stored, with the source named.

Read from the recorded approval status.

No source is stored against this line.

Form and route

Oral

Source-linked record

Where this came from

A person wrote this into the record with the study named beside it. No reviewer has signed it off.

The form and route recorded on this substance.

No source is stored against this line.

Who oversees it

Professional supervision is normally required. A regulator classifies this substance in a way that restricts how it is supplied.

Quoted from a source

Where this came from

Copied from a source RNAWiki stored, with the source named.

Suppression classes recorded: S3, S6.

No source is stored against this line.

What is in the pack

Sold as capsule, syrup, capsule, delayed release, capsule, liquid filled, given by the oral route.

Source-linked record

Where this came from

A person wrote this into the record with the study named beside it. No reviewer has signed it off.

Recorded notes on how this is sold and what that means for what is in the pack.

No source is stored against this line.

Where it is registered

Regulatory records are listed in the technical disclosure at the foot of this page.

Counted from records

Where this came from

A count of rows RNAWiki holds. It describes our records, not your body.

Register entries are stored per jurisdiction and shown with their dates.

No source is stored against this line.

Why people stop

Not recorded.

Nothing recorded

Where this came from

RNAWiki holds nothing here and says so rather than guessing.

No record of why people stopped taking it is stored for this substance.

No source is stored against this line.

What it would be like to takeNothing found in the sources checked

What can go wrong

Sorted by where each line came from. A regulator's label and a report somebody sent in are not the same kind of fact.

Nothing found in the sources checked

No harm is recorded against this substance in the sources RNAWiki checked. Finding nothing is not the same as showing there is nothing.

The sources listed were searched and held nothing. That is not the same as nothing existing.

Reports sent to a regulator

  • These are reports people sent to a regulator. They do not show the medicine caused the reaction.
  • Nobody counted how many people took the medicine and reported nothing.
  • The same event can be reported more than once, and many reports are incomplete.
  • News coverage, lawsuits and new warnings change how often people report.
  • A count is not a rate and not a risk.

Valproic acid appears in spontaneous reports to regulators. Across the 10 most-reported reaction terms, 6595 reaction mentions were counted. One report can name several reactions.

The recorded terms (10)
  • drug interaction — 1261 reaction mentions
  • toxicity to various agents — 826 reaction mentions
  • somnolence — 747 reaction mentions
  • seizure — 683 reaction mentions
  • hyperammonaemia — 622 reaction mentions
  • convulsion — 586 reaction mentions
  • thrombocytopenia — 574 reaction mentions
  • tremor — 510 reaction mentions
  • coma — 423 reaction mentions
  • epilepsy — 363 reaction mentions
  • open-targets-adr · recorded 2026-06-24 · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot

Over a long time. No completed tested study window is recorded, so long-term effects are not established by the registry record.

Groups the studies covered thinly. Which groups were under-represented in the studies has not been recorded for this substance. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, older adults, and people with liver or kidney conditions are commonly excluded from trials; nothing here says whether they were.

What is missing or unclearRead from sources, not yet reviewed

Does the exact form matter?

Evidence belongs to the exact thing that was tested. A different salt, a different mixture or a different preparation is a different question.

The form that was studied

Oral

Source-linked record

Where this came from

A person wrote this into the record with the study named beside it. No reviewer has signed it off.

The form used in the studies cited on this page.

No source is stored against this line.

What is sold

Not recorded.

Nothing recorded

Where this came from

RNAWiki holds nothing here and says so rather than guessing.

Nothing further is recorded about which forms are sold.

No source is stored against this line.

What is recorded as being sold

  • 40 products list this as an active ingredient in the United States drug directory. 40 of them contain it and nothing else.

    FDA National Drug Code directory · 23639-0003 · read 2026-08-29

  • They are sold as capsule, capsule, liquid filled, liquid, powder and solution, taken oral.

    FDA National Drug Code directory · 23639-0003 · read 2026-08-29

  • The regulator's established pharmacologic class for it is anti-epileptic agent [epc], decreased central nervous system disorganized electrical activity [pe] and mood stabilizer [epc].

    FDA National Drug Code directory · 23639-0003 · read 2026-08-29

  • 24 published labels name it as an active ingredient. 24 of them describe this substance alone, which is where its own label text on this page comes from.

    US prescribing information · 8bdbacb1-b38a-3282-e053-2a95a90af022 · read 2026-08-29

  • Those labels are classed as human prescription drug.

    US prescribing information · 8bdbacb1-b38a-3282-e053-2a95a90af022 · read 2026-08-29

  • Valproic is oral at 3 DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS Valproic Acid Capsules, USP, 250 mg., recorded as fda label in effect 2026-06-02 in the United States.

    US prescribing information · cef3e335-5891-412f-89c4-79fcd2f145b7 · read 2026-08-30

  • Recorded price in US: 0.03369 USD per one millilitre, across 4 priced products whose strengths and pack forms differ, as of 2026-08-26, paid by retail pharmacies buying the product, as surveyed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. It is not a list price, an insurance price, or what anyone pays at a counter..

    Recorded source · 2026-08-26 · read 2026-08-28

  • Recorded price in US: 0.23366 USD per one unit as the pricing file counts it — a tablet, capsule, patch or single item, across 3 priced products whose strengths and pack forms differ, as of 2026-08-26, paid by retail pharmacies buying the product, as surveyed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. It is not a list price, an insurance price, or what anyone pays at a counter..

    Recorded source · 2026-08-26 · read 2026-08-28

Evidence carries across two names for one substance. It does not carry across a salt, a mirror form or a mixture.

What it would be like to takeRead from sources, not yet reviewed

What you could measure

This one is decided with a clinician, so this section holds questions to ask rather than a plan to run.

Self-experiment planning is not offered for a prescription or clinician-supervised medicine. The questions below are for a clinician or pharmacist.

Questions worth asking

  • Which of the trials of Valproic acid studied people like me?
  • What was measured, and for how long?
  • Was the result a laboratory value or a health outcome?
  • What would we watch for, and when would we stop?

Tracking can show whether something changed for you. It cannot show what caused it.

RNAWiki records evidence. It does not say whether this substance is right for you.

What is missing or unclearRead from sources, not yet reviewed

What nobody knows yet

Open questions, each with why it is open and what would close it.

Missing populations

Which groups were under-represented in the studies has not been recorded.

Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.

What would answer it

A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.

Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.

Missing long-term data

No completed tested study window is recorded.

Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.

What would answer it

A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.

Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.

No reviewed conclusion

RNAWiki has not yet published a reviewed conclusion for this use.

Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.

What would answer it

A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.

Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.

Missing interaction studies

No interaction was found in the registers checked. Not finding one is not the same as showing there is none.

Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.

What would answer it

A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.

Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.

Formulation uncertainty

Several salts, forms or products of Valproic acid are recorded. Results from one form may not transfer to another.

Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.

What would answer it

A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.

Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.

Mechanism not reviewed

No reviewed mechanism story exists for this substance.

Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.

What would answer it

A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.

Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.

What happened in peopleRead from sources, not yet reviewed

Check any of this yourself

Every line above traced back to the study it came from. This is the technical layer, and the vocabulary changes here.

How many documents were read

  • 24 documents were read for this substance.

    RNAWiki source record

  • 23 of them state the same halfLife, and they agree.

    RNAWiki source record

  • 23 of them state the same volumeOfDistribution, and they agree.

    RNAWiki source record

Where else this substance is registered

FDA substance identifier (UNII)
614OI1Z5WI
RxNorm concept
1099681

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  • Not passed

    Trial roles classified for highlighted evidence

    No registered study is classified as testing this substance.

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    Safety mode resolved

    Suppression classes recorded: S3, S6.

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    Canonical metadata present

    slug and display name present

What is missing or unclearRead from sources, not yet reviewed

How this medicine reached us

Kept near the foot of the page. A historical event moves up only when it changes something about this substance today.

What the approval register records

  • 18 approved applications cover products containing this substance. The earliest was NDA018082, approved 19780228 to ABBVIE.

    Drugs@FDA application register · NDA018082 · read 2026-08-29

  • Marketing status on the register: discontinued and prescription.

    Drugs@FDA application register · NDA018082 · read 2026-08-29

  • The earliest marketing start date recorded for a listed product is 19840618.

    FDA National Drug Code directory · 23639-0003 · read 2026-08-29

What is missing or unclearRead from sources, not yet reviewed

What to learn next

Ordered by what would most change how you read this page, starting with what is easiest to misunderstand.

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What is not here

5 questions this page could not answer

These sections were prepared and left out because there was nothing to put in them. They are listed rather than hidden, so the gaps in this record are visible.

  • The path through the body — found nothing in the sources checked.
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  • Other ways to the same goal — found nothing in the sources checked.
  • Claims that go past the evidence — found nothing in the sources checked.
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The record as stored

The full record, for auditing

Everything above is built from what is below. This layer keeps the technical vocabulary, record identifiers and every stored row, so a reader who wants to check the page can.

Recorded evidence blocks (14)

What did Valproic acid's largest trial (1037352 people) and its longest (16 years) measure?


1037352 people in Valproic acid's largest registered study, 16 years in its longest registered window, measuring Efficacy, Measured Through Motor Function Assessments. ClinicalTrials.gov · 2026-09-01

81 phase2, 79 phase1, 59 phase4, 49 phase3, 18 na, 15 na or unstated, 5 early phase1; NCT02265770; 2031-08; no ageing endpoint recorded. Last human test completed 2026, NCT06729970.

Interpretation These counts include studies where Valproic acid was a comparison treatment, a background treatment or an exposure in an observational study, and the longest window may be a planned end date. Trial roles have not yet been classified for this record.

Show the evidence
  • phase2
    81
  • phase1
    79
  • phase4
    59
  • phase3
    49
  • na
    18
  • na or unstated
    15
2 more recorded rows
  • early phase1
    5
  • Last recorded human test NCT06729970
    2026-01-23

recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04

From C. elegans to human: where has Valproic acid shown lifespan?


C. elegans: lifespan, mouse: mechanism-only, rat: mechanism-only, dog: mechanism-only and human: healthspan (285): the rungs where Valproic acid has a recorded finding. Europe PMC and ClinicalTrials.gov · organism ladder · 2026-09-01

Interpretation Efficacy, Measured Through Motor Function Assessments — the recorded outcome words.

Yeast C. elegans lifespanDrosophila Mouse mechanism-onlyRat mechanism-onlyDog mechanism-onlyNon-human primate Human healthspan
Show the evidence
  • C. elegans
    lifespan
  • mouse
    mechanism-only
  • rat
    mechanism-only
  • dog
    mechanism-only
  • human NCT00227266
    healthspan; Efficacy, Measured Through Motor Function Assessments; 285

recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04

40 of Valproic acid's trials stopped: accrual/recruitment, funding/business, sponsor decision unspecified, other?


accrual/recruitment (15), funding/business (7), sponsor decision unspecified (2) and other (16): Valproic acid's stop wording, clustered. ClinicalTrials.gov · 2026-09-01

"Funding Expiration"; 40 of 285 registered studies

Show the evidence

Trial

  • NCT00063362
    terminated; "Funding Expiration"
  • NCT00139074
    terminated; "terminated due to very low recruitment rate (27 June 2006)"
  • NCT00181220
    withdrawn; "PI left JHU and is not able to be reached for updates"
  • NCT00203385
    terminated; "Funding expired"
  • NCT00221637
    terminated; "slow recruitment and treatments beyond expiry date"
  • NCT00298857
    terminated; "Lack of funding"
14 further recorded trials
  • NCT00315900
    terminated; "Investigator closed study and left VAMC."
  • NCT00358319
    terminated; "PI left Moffitt"
  • NCT00437957
    terminated; "Lack of enrollment"
  • NCT00447369
    withdrawn; "Because we did not find funds to do it"
  • NCT00525135
    terminated; "PI left university and study was halted prematurely. No data was analyzed."
  • NCT00614458
    terminated; "Due to insufficient funds"
  • NCT00670046
    terminated; "The study was terminated per the PI decision."
  • NCT00774306
    terminated; "study no longer consistent with current clinical practice"
  • NCT00854581
    terminated; "Investigator Decision"
  • NCT01007695
    terminated; "Enrollment was going slowly and needed to be closed."
  • NCT01010958
    terminated; "Slow accrual"
  • NCT01011998
    withdrawn; "Withdrawn due to lack of accrual per Center DSMP, with PI concurrence"
  • NCT01075126
    withdrawn; "key investigator relocated."
  • NCT01204450
    terminated; "Funding has become unavailable"

recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04

Human studies of Valproic acid used Depakote ER® Tablets 500 mg — over how long?


studies of Valproic acid used the recorded amount. ClinicalTrials.gov · 2026-09-01

9 recorded entries; human; also "Depakote ER® Tablets 500 mg", "Depakote 500 mg DR Tablets (Abbott Laboratories, USA)", "Depakote DR 500 mg Tablets"

Show the evidence

human

  • NCT00647712
    Depakote ER® Tablets 500 mg
  • NCT00913848
    Depakote 500 mg DR Tablets (Abbott Laboratories, USA)
  • NCT01132170
    Depakote DR 500 mg Tablets
  • NCT01183676
    DEPAKOTE® Tablets, 500 MG
  • NCT01183676
    DIVALPROEX SODIUM DELAYED-RELEASE TABLETS, USP, 500 MG
  • NCT01898676
    DEPAKOTE 250mg
3 more recorded rows
  • human NCT03717909
    Sodium Valproate 200Mg E/C Tablet
  • human NCT03914534
    Valproic Acid 500 MG
  • human NCT06214130
    Sodium valproate 500 MG

recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04

Valproic acid's half-life is 9 to 16 hours — which schedules were studied?


9 to 16 hours, the half-life Valproic acid's label states. openfda-label · 7e96b724-5f5f-43cb-8d8b-adff3e1fc779 · 2026-08-30

Show the evidence
  • half life
    9 to 16 hours hours; Mean terminal half-life for valproate monotherapy ranged from 9 to 16 hours following oral dosing regimens of 250 to 1,000 mg.
  • bioavailability
    Bioavailability of Divalproex Sodium Extended-Release Tablets Relative to Divalproex Sodium Delayed-Release Tablets When Divalproex Sodium Extended-Release Tablets Dose is 8 to 20% Higher Study Population Regimens Relative Bioavailability Divalproex Sodium Extended-Release Tablets vs. Divalproex Sodium Delayed-Release Tablets AUC 24 C max C min Healthy Volunteers (N=35) 1,000 & 1,500 mg…
  • metabolism
    Metabolism Valproate is metabolized almost entirely by the liver.

recorded 2026-08-30 · last checked 2026-09-04

Which of adverse events, aggression and aggressive behavior did Valproic acid's trials measure?


adverse events, aggression and aggressive behavior lead 40 outcome terms across Valproic acid's trials. ClinicalTrials.gov · 2026-09-01

Interpretation clinical response rate, clinician administered ptsd scale, survival, young mania rating scale, mania rating scale and montgomery asberg depression rating scale follow.

Show the evidence
  • heavy drinking days
    1
  • who experience a marked and persistent bimodal response
    1
  • cgi i
    1
  • clinical response rate
    1
  • clinician administered ptsd scale
    1
  • survival
    1
14 more recorded rows
  • young mania rating scale
    1
  • mania rating scale
    1
  • montgomery asberg depression rating scale
    1
  • montgomery asberg depression rating scale total
    1
  • safety
    1
  • mini mental state exam
    1
  • cohen mansfield agitation inventory
    1
  • safety labs
    1
  • efficacy measured through motor function assessments
    1
  • modified hammersmith change from baseline to 6 months
    1
  • aggression
    1
  • improvement of adhd symptoms
    1
  • maximum tolerated dose
    1
  • sedation
    1

recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04

Which of Valproic acid's 15 ongoing trials reports first?


15 registered trials of Valproic acid are open; earliest completion 2026-05-06. ClinicalTrials.gov · 2026-09-01

Overall survival (Cohort 1); Gross Total Resection rate; latest 2031-12

Show the evidence

Trial

  • NCT02068586
    "Sunitinib Malate or Valproic Acid in Preventing Metastasis in Patients With High-Risk Uveal Melanoma"; n 210; "Overall survival (Cohort 1)"; 2026-12-31
  • NCT02265770
    "An International Clinical Program for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Children With Ependymoma"; n 536; "Gross Total Resection rate"; 2031-08
  • NCT02446431
    "Metronomic Therapy for Pediatric Patients With Solid Tumors at High Risk of Recurrence"; n 20; "5 year Event Free Survival"; 2029-07
  • NCT03048084
    "Seizure Treatment in Glioma"; n 120; "Ongoing seizure freedom at 6 months"; 2029-07-01
  • NCT04729543
    "MAGE-C2 TCR T Cell Trial to Treat Melanoma and Head and Neck Cancer"; n 20; "Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) of MC2 TCR T cells"; 2027-10-20
  • NCT05431595
    "Managing Agitated Delirium With Neuroleptics and Anti-Epileptics as a Neuroleptic Sparing Strategy"; n 42; "Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale Questionnaire"; 2027-02-02
9 further recorded trials
  • NCT05694936
    "Combining Sodium Valproate With Standard-of-care EGFR (Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor) Monoclonal Antibody Treatment in Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer"; n 38; "Progression free survival"; 2027-06
  • NCT05821556
    "Valproic Acid/Simvastatin Plus Gemcitabine/Nab-paclitaxel Based Regimens in Untreated Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Patients"; n 240; "Progression Free Survival (PFS)"; 2027-06
  • NCT06199557
    "A Study to Investigate Treatment of HU and VPA, or 6-MP and VPA in Unfit AML/HR-MDS Patients"; n 48; "Safety and tolerability of the treatment combinations of hydroxyurea + valproic acid, and 6-mercaptopurine + valproic acid administered at established clinical doses."; 2029-09-30
  • NCT06714357
    "ValproIc Acid to Potentiate Anti-EGFR Treatment Efficacy and Prevent/Revert Resistance in Colorectal Cancer"; n 130; "Study Part 1 - Progression Free Survival rate at 16 weeks in the two arms."; 2027-06-20
  • NCT06929273
    "A Study to Assess the Long-term Safety of KarXT for the Treatment of Manic Episodes in Bipolar-I Disorder (BALSAM-3)"; n 450; "Number of participants with treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs)"; 2028-06-13
  • NCT07046676
    "Pharmacogenetics-Based Study on Individualized Use of Sodium Valproate"; n 312; "The blood concentration of valproic acid"; 2026-05-30
  • NCT07166393
    "Valproic AcId for Traumatic BRAin INjury Trial"; n 432; "Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS-E)"; 2031-12
  • NCT07226141
    "Valproate for the Treatment of Residual Amblyopia"; n 28; "Amblyopic Eye Best-Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA)"; 2027-09-30
  • NCT07487675
    "Evaluation of Intravenous Sodium Valproate on Interleukin-6 Levels in Patients With TMJ Disc Displacement"; n 10; "level of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) in Synovial Fluid"; 2026-05-06

recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04

Which running trial of Valproic acid could settle inflammatory markers?


NCT07487675 measures level of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) in Synovial Fluid, reading out 2026-05-06.

6 open trials; n 10; "Evaluation of Intravenous Sodium Valproate on Interleukin-6 Levels in Patients With TMJ Disc Displacement"

Show the evidence

Trial

  • NCT07487675
    "Evaluation of Intravenous Sodium Valproate on Interleukin-6 Levels in Patients With TMJ Disc Displacement"; n 10; "level of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) in Synovial Fluid"; 2026-05-06
  • NCT02068586
    "Sunitinib Malate or Valproic Acid in Preventing Metastasis in Patients With High-Risk Uveal Melanoma"; n 210; "Overall survival (Cohort 1)"; 2026-12-31
  • NCT05694936
    "Combining Sodium Valproate With Standard-of-care EGFR (Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor) Monoclonal Antibody Treatment in Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer"; n 38; "Progression free survival"; 2027-06
  • NCT05821556
    "Valproic Acid/Simvastatin Plus Gemcitabine/Nab-paclitaxel Based Regimens in Untreated Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Patients"; n 240; "Progression Free Survival (PFS)"; 2027-06
  • NCT06714357
    "ValproIc Acid to Potentiate Anti-EGFR Treatment Efficacy and Prevent/Revert Resistance in Colorectal Cancer"; n 130; "Study Part 1 - Progression Free Survival rate at 16 weeks in the two arms."; 2027-06-20
  • NCT02446431
    "Metronomic Therapy for Pediatric Patients With Solid Tumors at High Risk of Recurrence"; n 20; "5 year Event Free Survival"; 2029-07

Which 120 trials of Valproic acid posted no result?


Posted no result
120 of 120 completed trials
Registrations
NCT00153270, NCT00000439, NCT00367874, NCT00646711, NCT00177567 and NCT02078596, and 114 more
Completion dates
oldest 2001-04; newest 2024-08-31
Show the evidence

Trial

  • NCT00153270
    2001-04
  • NCT00000439
    2003-08
  • NCT00367874
    2003-11
  • NCT00646711
    2003-12
  • NCT00177567
    2004-01
  • NCT02078596
    2004-03
14 further recorded trials
  • NCT00647712
    2004-12
  • NCT00648076
    2004-12
  • NCT00218114
    2005-02-18
  • NCT00088387
    2005-03
  • NCT00095355
    2005-03
  • NCT00217932
    2005-08
  • NCT00012558
    2005-09
  • NCT00108576
    2005-09
  • NCT00222482
    2005-09
  • NCT00913848
    2005-10
  • NCT00913874
    2005-10
  • NCT00552500
    2005-12
  • NCT00374075
    2006-02
  • NCT00264680
    2006-03-01

At the median, Valproic acid's trials enrolled 45.5 people — anything larger?


Median enrolment
45.5
Largest enrolment
1037352
Registered trials counted
284

What do 6595 spontaneous reports say about Valproic acid — and not say?


These are reports people sent to a regulator. They do not show the medicine caused the reaction. Nobody counted how many people took the medicine and reported nothing. The same event can be reported more than once, and many reports are incomplete. News coverage, lawsuits and new warnings change how often people report. A count is not a rate and not a risk.

Valproic acid appears in spontaneous reports to regulators. Across the 10 most-reported reaction terms, 6595 reaction mentions were counted: drug interaction 1261; toxicity to various agents 826; somnolence 747; seizure 683. open-targets-adr · CHEMBL109 · 2026-06-24

Show the evidence
  • drug interaction
    1261
  • toxicity to various agents
    826
  • somnolence
    747
  • seizure
    683
  • hyperammonaemia
    622
  • convulsion
    586
4 more recorded rows
  • thrombocytopenia
    574
  • tremor
    510
  • coma
    423
  • epilepsy
    363

recorded 2026-06-24 · last checked 2026-09-04

Valproic acid and cytochrome P450: shared by which compounds?


cytochrome P450 appear in Valproic acid's recorded interaction sentences, 1 in all. openfda-label+europepmc · 2026-08-21

Interpretation drug_interactions

Show the evidence
  • cytochrome P450 drug_interactions
    In contrast, drugs that are inhibitors of cytochrome P450 isozymes, e.g., antidepressants, may be expected to have little effect on valproate clearance because cytochrome P450 microsomal mediated oxidation is a relatively minor secondary metabolic pathway compared to glucuronidation and beta-oxidation.

recorded 2026-08-21 · last checked 2026-09-04

Was Valproic acid studied with fasting?


fasting is named in Valproic acid's label sentences: "Two 250-mg soft-gelatin capsules of valproic acid were administered to the participants under fasting and nonfasting conditions." openfda-label+europepmc · 2026-08-21

1 recorded statement; fasting

Show the evidence
  • fasting
    Two 250-mg soft-gelatin capsules of valproic acid were administered to the participants under fasting and nonfasting conditions.

recorded 2026-08-21 · last checked 2026-09-04

What is recorded about Valproic acid and mTOR?


"These findings underscore EGFR, GSK3B, and STAT3, for carbamazepine and PTGS2, mTOR, and TLR4 for valproic-acid as pivotal therapeutic targets in oxidative stress-associated epilepsy." — where Valproic acid and mTOR appear together. Europe PMC · pathway abstract search · 2025-10-28

mTOR, AMPK; PMID 41006323, 40505648, 41304474, 37978497

Show the evidence

mTOR

  • PMID 41006323
    "These findings underscore EGFR, GSK3B, and STAT3, for carbamazepine and PTGS2, mTOR, and TLR4 for valproic-acid as pivotal therapeutic targets in oxidative stress-associated epilepsy."
  • PMID 40505648
    "This report describes a case of pathologic TMA in a renal allograft that may be induced by the combined use of CNI, mTOR inhibitor, and valproic acid at standard doses."
  • PMID 41304474
    "Third, through network toxicology, single-cell transcriptomics, and animal experimentation, we demonstrate that chronic PM<sub>2.5</sub> exposure exacerbates valproic acid-induced autism-like behaviors in murine models, identifying CTNNB1, PTEN, CCR2, AKT1, and mTOR as potential core mediating genes."
  • AMPK PMID 37978497
    "ACT001 treatment restores the content of valproic acid in intestinal SCFAs, promotes the binding of SCFAs to renal GPR43, activates the AMPK signalling pathway."

recorded 2025-10-28 · last checked 2026-09-04

Where it is registered
Identifiers, relations and other names

The exact record

ChEMBL id
CHEMBL109
PubChem CID
3121
CAS number
99-66-1
RxCUI
11118
InChIKey
NIJJYAXOARWZEE-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Development code
44089, NSC-93819, ABBOTT 50711, A-44090, ABBOTT 44090
Also called
Acide valproique, Acido valproico, Pentanoic acid, 2-propyl, Valproate, Valproic acid extended release, divalproate, sv, va, val, valproate acid, vpa, DIVALPROEX SODIUM
Trade name
Convulex, Depakene, Depakote, Stavzor, Depakote cp, Depakote er, Dipromal, Delepsine, Depacon, Depakine, Epilim, Epilim 200
Salt form
ergenyl chrono 500 mg prolonged-release tablets, Valproic acid sodium salt (2:1), depakote dr 500 mg tablets, depakote er 500 mg tablets, depakote sprinkle capsules, depakote tablets, divalproex sodium capsules (sprinkle), divalproex sodium coated particles in capsules, divalproex sodium delayed-release tablets, usp, divalproex sodium er, mylan's divalproex sodium 500 mg extended-release tablets, sodium valproate
British name
Semisodium valproate
International name
Valproate semisodium
Sources (11)

Sources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov ·
  • ClinicalTrials.gov ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 snapshot 2026-09-01T09:00:05 ·
  • this record's own fields 2,3,5 ·
  • Europe PMC dose-response search ·
  • Europe PMC pathway abstract search ·
  • Europe PMC search ·
5 more sources

ChEMBL ATC CC BY-SA · ClinicalTrials.gov — US Government work · Europe PMC — metadata only, under the recorded legal gate · Open Targets 26.06 — CC0 · derived from this page's own recorded fields; no external licence · mixed register set; per-register licences in docs/specs/corpus-20k-sources.md · openFDA / DailyMed — US Government work

How these records are assembled · Which registers were checked

Index-quality checks
  • identity passed: no open identity hold
  • required summary fields resolved: 5 required field(s) not terminal: Why people use it, Best-supported result, Most important common problem, Biggest unanswered question, Human evidence
  • public claims reviewed: 0 reviewed claim(s); drafts are never rendered
  • source coverage passed: 11 source rows
  • no critical contamination: no quarantine open
  • canonical metadata passed: slug and display name present
  • no raw internal fields: enforced by the copy-contract test over the rendered page

This is a record of evidence. It is not medical advice, and it does not say this substance suits you. Nothing here says any substance on RNAWiki is appropriate for a child.