Valproate
antiepileptic drug
Valproate (valproic acid, VPA, sodium valproate, or valproate semisodium) is a medication primarily used to treat epilepsy and as a mood stabilizer in the treatment of bipolar disorder. It is useful for the prevention of seizures in those with absence seizures, partial seizures, and generalized seizures. It can be given intravenously or by mouth, and the tablet forms exist in both long- and short-acting formulations.
Common side effects of valproate include nausea, vomiting, somnolence, and dry mouth. Serious side effects can include liver failure, and regular monitoring of liver function tests is therefore recommended. Other serious risks include pancreatitis and an increased suicide risk.
Valproate is known to cause serious abnormalities or birth defects in the fetus if taken during pregnancy, and is contra-indicated for women of childbearing age unless the drug is essential to their medical condition and the person is also prescribed a contraceptive. Reproductive warnings have also been issued for men using the drug.
Valproate is restricted in the United Kingdom for both women and men under age 55 due to teratogenicity in pregnant women and fertility problems in men. It is also restricted in the European Union.
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Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 4, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q240642. The Library of Congress control number is sh85141922. 2 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 1 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
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This entry incorporates text from “Valproate” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.