Valproic Acid: Pharmacology, Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Implications

Valproic acid (VPA) is a short chain fatty acid which has been used medicinally to treat conditions as far reaching as epilepsy, Bipolar disorder, migraines, and cancer. In this book, the authors research the pharmacology, mechanisms of action and clinical implications of valproic acid. Topics discussed include novel applications of the anticonvulsant drug valproic acid in cancer therapeutics; VPA treatment for epilepsy; use of fish models in fetal valproate syndrome studies; prenatal valproic acid exposure correlating with the occurrence of autism; and using 3D spheroids to determine the acute and chronic lethal thresholds of valproic acid.