Effect of sodium valproate on subcellular fraction enzymes in rat liver

Previous observations that valproic acid (VPA) causes hepatic damage prompted us to investigate the effect of large doses of the drug (0.6, 1.2 and 1.8 mmol/kg/day) on a number of liver enzymes located on different subcellular fractions. In mitochondria, glutamate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase and ornithine carbamoyltransferase were significantly increased (1.8 mmol/kg/day). In microsomes, gamma-glutamyltransferase activity increased significantly (1.8 mmol/kg) and cytochrome P-450 content decreased significantly (1.2 and 1.8 mmol/kg). In cytosol, both aspartate and alanine aminotransferase activities were increased at all dose levels. These results indicate that VPA induces dose-dependent changes in some liver enzyme activities.