Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026
06:19
Evaluation of Oxidative Stress in Biological Samples Using the Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances Assay
Published on: May 12, 2020
Oxidative stress in children receiving valproic acid.
Aspasia Michoulas1, Vincent Tong, Xiao Wei Teng
1Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, and the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
The Journal of Pediatrics
|November 11, 2006
Summary
Valproic acid (VPA) treatment in children with epilepsy is linked to increased urinary 15-F2t-isoprostane (15-F2t-IsoP) levels, a marker of oxidative stress. This finding highlights a potential side effect of VPA therapy in pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Biochemistry
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder in children.
- Oxidative stress plays a role in various chronic conditions.
- Valproic acid (VPA) is a widely used antiepileptic drug.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of VPA on urinary 15-F2t-isoprostane (15-F2t-IsoP) levels in children.
- To compare 15-F2t-IsoP levels in children treated with VPA, carbamazepine, or clobazam to healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Urine samples were collected from children with epilepsy on VPA, carbamazepine, or clobazam, and from age-matched controls.
- Urinary 15-F2t-IsoP levels were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
- Statistical analyses, including multiple linear regression, were employed to assess associations.
Main Results:
- Children treated with VPA exhibited significantly higher urinary 15-F2t-IsoP levels compared to control, carbamazepine, and clobazam groups.
- Younger age and exposure to second-hand smoke were predictors of elevated 15-F2t-IsoP in the control group.
- Even without second-hand smoke exposure, VPA-treated children showed elevated 15-F2t-IsoP compared to other groups.
Conclusions:
- VPA treatment in children is associated with increased urinary 15-F2t-IsoP levels.
- This suggests that VPA may induce oxidative stress in pediatric patients.
- Further research is warranted to understand the clinical implications of VPA-induced oxidative stress.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Drug Toxicity: Risk factors
Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) are potential complications that arise during pharmacotherapy, influenced by multiple risk factors. Age plays a significant role; both neonates and the elderly are at heightened risk due to their respective immature and diminished metabolic and elimination processes. Gender also impacts ADRs, with females experiencing a 1.5 to 1.7-fold greater risk than males, which may be linked to pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and hormonal differences. Notably, neonates, the...
01:24Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism
In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses a challenge in...
01:17Oxidation of Phenols to Quinones
In the presence of oxidizing agents, phenols are oxidized to quinones. Quinones can be easily reduced back to phenols using mild reducing agents. The electron-donating hydroxyl group enhances the reactivity of the aromatic ring, enabling oxidation of the ring even in the absence of an α hydrogen.
o-hydroxy phenols are oxidized to o-quinones and p-hydroxy phenols to p-quinones. Such redox reactions involve the transfer of two electrons and two protons. The reversible redox property is crucial in...
o-hydroxy phenols are oxidized to o-quinones and p-hydroxy phenols to p-quinones. Such redox reactions involve the transfer of two electrons and two protons. The reversible redox property is crucial in...
01:24Peroxisomes
Peroxisomes are specialized organelles present in fungi, plant, and animal cells. It can vary in number, size, morphology, and activity depending on the type of tissue and the nutritional state of the cell. For example, cells with active lipid metabolism, such as adipocytes, neurons, and hepatocytes, have more peroxisomes than other cells in the body. Besides their primary role in breaking down complex organic molecules, peroxisomes can also synthesize specific macromolecules and participate in...
01:30Peroxisomes
Peroxisomes and mitochondria are two important oxygen-utilizing organelles in eukaryotic cells. Mitochondria carry out cellular respiration—the process that converts energy from food into ATP. Peroxisomes carry out a variety of functions, primarily breaking down different substances, such as fatty acids.The peroxisome is a single membrane-bound cellular organelle that can perform several different functions, including lipid metabolism and chemical detoxification. The enzymes within peroxisomes...
01:19Phase I Reactions: Oxidation of Aliphatic and Aromatic Carbon-Containing Systems
Phase I biotransformation reactions are integral to drug metabolism, predominantly involving oxidative, reductive, and hydrolytic transformations. Chief among these are oxidative reactions, which enhance the hydrophilicity of xenobiotics and introduce polar functional groups to facilitate their elimination from the body.
Oxidation reactions are fundamental in aromatic carbon-containing systems. An example is the hydroxylation of phenobarbital, a process that transforms it into...
Oxidation reactions are fundamental in aromatic carbon-containing systems. An example is the hydroxylation of phenobarbital, a process that transforms it into...