Valproic acid is one of the major antiepileptic drugs. In animal models, valproate showed less anticonvulsant potency than the other three established antiepileptic drugs: phenobarbital, phenytoin and carbamazepine. In addition, two major side-effects, teratogenicity and hepatotoxicity, have been associated with valproate therapy. Due to the above and the shortage of new antiepileptic drugs there is a substantial need to develop improved derivatives of valproate. This paper analyses three kinds of valproate derivatives: valpromide, the primary amide of valproate, and its analogues; monoester prodrugs of valproate and an active metabolite of valproate, 2-n-propyl-2-pentenoate. The comparative evaluation was carried out by pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic analyses in animals. From the data accumulated so far, we can conclude that 2-n-propyl-2-pentenoate and/or a valpromide isomer, which does not undergo amide-acid biotransformation and preferably is not an epoxide hydrolase inhibitor, may prove to be improved derivatives of the parent compound valproic acid.

The pharmacokinetics of valproic acid (VPA) were compared in dogs with those of the prodrugs ethyl valproate (E-VPA), trichloroethyl valproate (T-VPA), and valproyl valproate (V-VPA). Valproic acid, E-VPA, T-VPA, and V-VPA were administered intravenously and orally to six dogs at equimolar doses. The three VPA prodrugs were rapidly converted to VPA. The biotransformation was complete in the case of E-VPA and T-VPA but was only partial in the case of V-VPA. Because of the rapid conversion to the parent drug, after administration of the prodrugs, VPA plasma levels did not yield a sustained-release profile. Further, the anticonvulsant activity of prodrugs was compared in mice to that of VPA and valpromide (VPD). The anticonvulsant activity of E-VPA, T-VPA, and V-VPA was less than that of VPA.