Depakote

Migraine, Acute Coryza, Behcet Syndrome + 4 more

Treatment

20 Active Studies for Depakote

What is Depakote

Valproic acid

The Generic name of this drug

Treatment Summary

Valproic acid, also known as valproate, is an anticonvulsant drug first synthesized in 1881. It was discovered in 1963 to have anti-seizure properties, and was approved by the FDA in 1978 under the brand name Depakene. Valproic acid is now used to treat a variety of conditions, such as neuroprotection, bipolar disorder, migraine headaches, and cancer. It is also being studied for its anti-proliferative effects in many clinical trials.

Depakene

is the brand name

image of different drug pills on a surface

Depakote Overview & Background

Brand Name

Generic Name

First FDA Approval

How many FDA approvals?

Depakene

Valproic acid

1978

481

Effectiveness

How Depakote Affects Patients

Valproate helps reduce the frequency of seizures, migraines, and bipolar mania symptoms. It is believed to work by increasing the amount of inhibition in the brain, as well as protecting neurons from damage. Although the exact cause is unknown, taking valproate can be toxic to the liver and harmful to unborn babies. There is also evidence that it can reactivate HIV when taken with HAART drugs, although a larger study did not show a significant effect on HIV reservoirs.

How Depakote works in the body

Valproate works in multiple ways to reduce seizures, treat migraines, and manage bipolar disorder. It increases the amount of a neurotransmitter called GABA, which reduces nerve firing. Valproate also blocks certain enzymes involved in fatty acid metabolism and decreases the production of compounds that cause inflammation, which may help with migraines. Valproate also acts as an inhibitor of histone deacetylase, which helps to decrease the activity of certain genes. All of these effects work together to reduce symptoms and treat disorder.

When to interrupt dosage

The proposed dose of Depakote is contingent upon the identified condition, such as Seizures, Seizure, Absence and Complex Partial Seizures. The extent of dosage is contingent upon the delivery technique (e.g. Injection, solution - Intravenous or Capsule, delayed release) featured in the table beneath.

Condition

Dosage

Administration

Mental Depression

, 250.0 mg, 125.0 mg, 500.0 mg, 250.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg/mL, 500.0 mg/mL

, Oral, Tablet, extended release, Tablet, extended release - Oral, Capsule - Oral, Capsule, Tablet, delayed release - Oral, Tablet, delayed release, Capsule, coated pellets - Oral, Capsule, coated pellets, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral, Solution, Solution - Oral, Capsule, delayed release, Capsule, Delayed Release - Oral, Capsule, Delayed Release, Syrup - Oral, Liquid, Liquid - Intravenous, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Tablet, film coated, extended release, Tablet, film coated, extended release - Oral, Tablet, delayed release particles, Tablet, delayed release particles - Oral, Tablet - Oral, Tablet, Intravenous, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Capsule, delayed release - Oral, Syrup

Seizures

, 250.0 mg, 125.0 mg, 500.0 mg, 250.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg/mL, 500.0 mg/mL

, Oral, Tablet, extended release, Tablet, extended release - Oral, Capsule - Oral, Capsule, Tablet, delayed release - Oral, Tablet, delayed release, Capsule, coated pellets - Oral, Capsule, coated pellets, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral, Solution, Solution - Oral, Capsule, delayed release, Capsule, Delayed Release - Oral, Capsule, Delayed Release, Syrup - Oral, Liquid, Liquid - Intravenous, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Tablet, film coated, extended release, Tablet, film coated, extended release - Oral, Tablet, delayed release particles, Tablet, delayed release particles - Oral, Tablet - Oral, Tablet, Intravenous, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Capsule, delayed release - Oral, Syrup

Seizures

, 250.0 mg, 125.0 mg, 500.0 mg, 250.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg/mL, 500.0 mg/mL

, Oral, Tablet, extended release, Tablet, extended release - Oral, Capsule - Oral, Capsule, Tablet, delayed release - Oral, Tablet, delayed release, Capsule, coated pellets - Oral, Capsule, coated pellets, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral, Solution, Solution - Oral, Capsule, delayed release, Capsule, Delayed Release - Oral, Capsule, Delayed Release, Syrup - Oral, Liquid, Liquid - Intravenous, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Tablet, film coated, extended release, Tablet, film coated, extended release - Oral, Tablet, delayed release particles, Tablet, delayed release particles - Oral, Tablet - Oral, Tablet, Intravenous, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Capsule, delayed release - Oral, Syrup

Migraine

, 250.0 mg, 125.0 mg, 500.0 mg, 250.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg/mL, 500.0 mg/mL

, Oral, Tablet, extended release, Tablet, extended release - Oral, Capsule - Oral, Capsule, Tablet, delayed release - Oral, Tablet, delayed release, Capsule, coated pellets - Oral, Capsule, coated pellets, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral, Solution, Solution - Oral, Capsule, delayed release, Capsule, Delayed Release - Oral, Capsule, Delayed Release, Syrup - Oral, Liquid, Liquid - Intravenous, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Tablet, film coated, extended release, Tablet, film coated, extended release - Oral, Tablet, delayed release particles, Tablet, delayed release particles - Oral, Tablet - Oral, Tablet, Intravenous, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Capsule, delayed release - Oral, Syrup

Acute Coryza

, 250.0 mg, 125.0 mg, 500.0 mg, 250.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg/mL, 500.0 mg/mL

, Oral, Tablet, extended release, Tablet, extended release - Oral, Capsule - Oral, Capsule, Tablet, delayed release - Oral, Tablet, delayed release, Capsule, coated pellets - Oral, Capsule, coated pellets, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral, Solution, Solution - Oral, Capsule, delayed release, Capsule, Delayed Release - Oral, Capsule, Delayed Release, Syrup - Oral, Liquid, Liquid - Intravenous, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Tablet, film coated, extended release, Tablet, film coated, extended release - Oral, Tablet, delayed release particles, Tablet, delayed release particles - Oral, Tablet - Oral, Tablet, Intravenous, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Capsule, delayed release - Oral, Syrup

Behcet Syndrome

, 250.0 mg, 125.0 mg, 500.0 mg, 250.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg/mL, 500.0 mg/mL

, Oral, Tablet, extended release, Tablet, extended release - Oral, Capsule - Oral, Capsule, Tablet, delayed release - Oral, Tablet, delayed release, Capsule, coated pellets - Oral, Capsule, coated pellets, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral, Solution, Solution - Oral, Capsule, delayed release, Capsule, Delayed Release - Oral, Capsule, Delayed Release, Syrup - Oral, Liquid, Liquid - Intravenous, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Tablet, film coated, extended release, Tablet, film coated, extended release - Oral, Tablet, delayed release particles, Tablet, delayed release particles - Oral, Tablet - Oral, Tablet, Intravenous, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Capsule, delayed release - Oral, Syrup

Epilepsy

, 250.0 mg, 125.0 mg, 500.0 mg, 250.0 mg/mL, 100.0 mg/mL, 50.0 mg/mL, 500.0 mg/mL

, Oral, Tablet, extended release, Tablet, extended release - Oral, Capsule - Oral, Capsule, Tablet, delayed release - Oral, Tablet, delayed release, Capsule, coated pellets - Oral, Capsule, coated pellets, Injection, Injection - Intravenous, Capsule, liquid filled, Capsule, liquid filled - Oral, Solution, Solution - Oral, Capsule, delayed release, Capsule, Delayed Release - Oral, Capsule, Delayed Release, Syrup - Oral, Liquid, Liquid - Intravenous, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Tablet, film coated, extended release, Tablet, film coated, extended release - Oral, Tablet, delayed release particles, Tablet, delayed release particles - Oral, Tablet - Oral, Tablet, Intravenous, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intravenous, Capsule, delayed release - Oral, Syrup

Warnings

Depakote Contraindications

Condition

Risk Level

Notes

Mitochondrial Diseases

Do Not Combine

Liver Failure

Do Not Combine

Disease

Do Not Combine

Liver Diseases

Do Not Combine

Enzymes

Do Not Combine

There are 20 known major drug interactions with Depakote.

Common Depakote Drug Interactions

Drug Name

Risk Level

Description

Abemaciclib

Major

The metabolism of Abemaciclib can be decreased when combined with Valproic acid.

Acalabrutinib

Major

The metabolism of Acalabrutinib can be decreased when combined with Valproic acid.

Alectinib

Major

The metabolism of Alectinib can be decreased when combined with Valproic acid.

Aminophylline

Major

The metabolism of Aminophylline can be decreased when combined with Valproic acid.

Amiodarone

Major

The metabolism of Amiodarone can be decreased when combined with Valproic acid.

Depakote Toxicity & Overdose Risk

The toxic dose of Valproate in mice is 1098mg/kg and in rats is 670mg/kg. Overdosing on Valproate may cause sleepiness, heart block, deep coma, and high sodium levels. There have been reports of fatalities, but some people have recovered from Valproate levels as high as 2120 mcg/mL. Dialysis can be used to remove the unbound fraction of the drug. Pregnant women taking Valproate have a higher risk of their child having neural tube defects or other serious structural abnormalities. Valproate has also been linked to an increased

image of a doctor in a lab doing drug, clinical research

Depakote Novel Uses: Which Conditions Have a Clinical Trial Featuring Depakote?

65 active trials are currently underway to appraise the potential of Depakote to address Migraine, Complex Partial Seizures and Acute Coryza.

Condition

Clinical Trials

Trial Phases

Migraine

47 Actively Recruiting

Phase 4, Not Applicable, Phase 1, Phase 3, Phase 2, Early Phase 1

Seizures

0 Actively Recruiting

Seizures

0 Actively Recruiting

Acute Coryza

0 Actively Recruiting

Behcet Syndrome

1 Actively Recruiting

Not Applicable

Epilepsy

0 Actively Recruiting

Mental Depression

2 Actively Recruiting

Phase 2, Not Applicable

Depakote Reviews: What are patients saying about Depakote?

5

Patient Review

5/14/2017

Depakote for Bipolar Disorder in Remission

I've been using this treatment for 18 years with minimal side effects and it has really worked well for me.

5

Patient Review

9/25/2022

Depakote for Bipolar Disorder in Remission

This drug has been a game-changer for me. Since taking it, I wake up every day feeling excited and happy. My anxiety is practically nonexistent now.

5

Patient Review

5/15/2017

Depakote for Bipolar Depression

Over the last couple years, I've tried a lot of different drugs and depakote is the only one that's helped me stay stable.

4.7

Patient Review

1/17/2017

Depakote for Bipolar Depression

I've been on Depakote for over 25 years and it's really effective. However, I have to take lactulose twice a week because the medication raises my ammonia levels. This is not fun. If anyone has suggestions about how to reduce my ammonia levels, please let me know!

4.3

Patient Review

11/28/2020

Depakote for Bipolar Depression

One of the longest working medications for me. Slight hair loss. 750mg per day with 40mg paroxetine.

3.7

Patient Review

2/18/2020

Depakote for Bipolar Depression

I've been medicated for years now, and I'm not sure I like who it's turned me into. Especially in the winter, I feel very different than myself. Maybe it's time to try a new treatment option.

2.7

Patient Review

9/30/2021

Depakote for Bipolar I Disorder with Most Recent Episode Mixed

Depakote has not worked for me at all in the five years I've been taking it. I was originally on lithium, which helped me a lot, but then I lost my doctor and wasn't able to take it for six months. During that time, I had surgery to remove a mass from my neck. Afterward, I was put on Depakote in the hospital, but it hasn't helped me at all.

2

Patient Review

1/26/2017

Depakote for Bipolar Depression

I found that this medication made me not care about anything. I would self-medicate by taking a few extra pills whenever I was going to be in a stressful or irritating environment. However, my psychiatrist switched me to Latuda and I have been reducing my dosage of this drug. I now feel 10 times more alive, awake, and aware of my emotions.

1.7

Patient Review

4/18/2017

Depakote for Bipolar I Disorder with Most Recent Episode Mixed

I found that this medication made it very difficult for me to wake up in the mornings. I've also gained 60 pounds since starting to take it seven years ago. Additionally, it caused a tremor and if you miss even one or two doses, the bipolar side effects will come back with a vengeance after a couple of weeks. Therefore, I would not recommend this medication for people in my circumstances.

1.7

Patient Review

11/28/2016

Depakote for Bipolar Depression

About three weeks after starting this pill, I experienced suicidal thoughts. This was in addition to increased levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. In my opinion, this is a horrible pill for mild depression when compared to other options that are available.

1

Patient Review

5/22/2019

Depakote for Migraine Prevention

I'm not sure this medication did anything for me. I took it for several years and now I have tinnitus.

1

Patient Review

4/15/2019

Depakote for Bipolar I Disorder with Most Recent Episode Mixed

Depakote was ineffective for me and, worse yet, caused horrible palpitations. I'm glad I stopped taking it at my doctor's recommendation.

1

Patient Review

5/19/2019

Depakote for Bipolar I Disorder with Most Recent Episode Mixed

Do not take this medication. It caused me immense suffering in the form of involuntary ticks and body movement. I also had great difficulty speaking for nearly six months.

1

Patient Review

5/23/2018

Depakote for Bipolar Depression

Please heed the warnings about this medication causing diabetes. I gained 50lbs while taking it, and it did not work for me at all.

1

Patient Review

5/17/2020

Depakote for Petit Mal Epilepsy with Multiple Seizure Types

I've been shaking so badly that I can't do anything. Since we've been on lockdown, I've lost 25 pounds. I'm also having dizzy spells which is something new for me. Whenever I go out in public, people always notice how bad my shaking is. For 66 years, I took phenobarbital because I was such a nervous person but then my doctor switched me to depakote.
image of drug pills surrounding a glass of water symbolizing drug consumption

Patient Q&A Section about depakote

These questions and answers are submitted by anonymous patients, and have not been verified by our internal team.

Is Depakote an antipsychotic?

"Side effects of Depakote and Abilify that are similar include drowsiness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, constipation, weight changes, or vision changes/blurred vision."

Answered by AI

What is Depakote drug used for?

"Depakote was first prescribed in 19831. It is an antiepileptic drug (AED) and is used to treat complex partial seizures, simple and complex absence seizures, as well as acute manic symptoms in patients with bipolar disorder."

Answered by AI

What are side effects of Depakote?

"B: Depakote may cause drowsiness, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, low platelet count, tremors, tiredness, and hair loss. These side effects may be mild to moderate, but they could also be indicative of a more serious condition."

Answered by AI

Is Depakote an antipsychotic or mood stabilizer?

"Valproate works in the brain to stabilize mood swings associated with bipolar disorder, seizures, and migraines."

Answered by AI

Clinical Trials for Depakote

Image of Arizona State University in Phoenix, United States.

App-based Breathing Program for Migraine

18+
All Sexes
Phoenix, AZ

Migraine is one of the most common neurological disorders, characterized by recurrent headaches, sensitivity to light and movement, nausea, and autonomic dysregulation. Although mind-body interventions like biofeedback have shown their efficacy, they remain underutilized due to barriers such as transportation, time constraints, lack of awareness, stigma, and cost. A targeted approach to enhancing HRV is HRV biofeedback (HRVB), a technique using visual or auditory feedback to help people regulate HRV through slow-paced breathing and positive emotional regulation to promote ANS balance and emotional resilience. Investigators will conduct a remotely delivered pilot RCT of an 8-week, 10 min/day, novel app-based HRVB intervention compared to a sham control intervention (matching intervention time and attention with no biofeedback component) in adult with chronic migraine. Investigators hypothesize data collected from the study will: a) support the feasibility and acceptability of the remotely delivered app-based HRVB intervention among adults with chronic migraine, and b) provide insights into refining the intervention by examining patterns of change in migraine and psychological outcomes from pre- to post-intervention.

Waitlist Available
Online Trial

Arizona State University

Image of Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, United States.

Embolization for Migraine

18 - 80
All Sexes
Baltimore, MD

This study is to test the safety and feasibility of a procedure called embolization of the middle meningeal arteries (MMA), using a product called Onyx. Embolization creates a plug in the arteries. MMA embolization with Onyx is not approved for use in patients with migraines, but is currently used in patients with subdural hematomas. The FDA is allowing the use of Onyx in this study. It is thought that by using Onyx to block the middle meningeal arteries, the amount of migraine-causing substances which are released into the brain's bloodstream will be reduced. The company that manufactures Onyx, Medtronic, is providing the supplies for this study. Participants will be in the study for about 8 months after enrolling, including 6 months of follow up after the procedure. The participants will be asked to complete a daily headache diary and continue the participant's regular migraine medications. Participants will also have several clinic visits and be asked to provide blood samples for research.

Waitlist Available
Has No Placebo

Johns Hopkins Medicine

Risheng Xu, MD, PhD

Medtronic

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Visual Adaptation for Visual Snow

18 - 60
All Sexes
Minneapolis, MN

The goal of this study is to learn more about the brain pathways and activity involved in creating Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS). The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does VSS arise from spontaneous activity in brain pathways? * Where in the brain does the activity contributing to VSS arise? * How does brain activity contribute to VSS? Participants will: 1. Undergo assessments and questionnaires to understand visual and mental symptoms, cognitive, and sensory function. 2. Make visual judgements based on images presented to them both inside and outside a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine. 3. Undergo scanning of their brain while inside of an MRI machine.

Recruiting
Paid Trial

University of Minnesota

Michael-Paul Schallmo, Ph.D.

Image of HCA Florida north florida Hospital in Gainesville, United States.

Bupivacaine Injection for Headache

18+
All Sexes
Gainesville, FL

Headache is a frequent chief complaint among patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED), accounting for 2.1 million visits annually in the United States. Often, individuals resort to ED care only after over-the-counter or home remedies have failed, leading to the predominant use of intravenous (IV) medications in the ED, including NSAIDs, triptans, neuroleptics, antiepileptics, and dopaminergic antagonists. Unfortunately, these pharmacologic treatments frequently induce side effects such as cognitive impairment, extrapyramidal reactions, and the potential for medication dependency. In the ED, patients frequently require concurrent administration of multiple systemic medications to achieve satisfactory pain relief, thereby elevating the risk associated with medication use. Despite these medication regimens, a significant portion of patients continue to experience inadequate pain relief. Consequently, the search for an optimal headache therapy-characterized by rapid and effective pain relief, long lasting results, minimal side effects, and allows for rapid ED patient turnover-continues to be a popular area of research in emergency medicine. The investigators plan to evaluate the use of 0.5% bupivacaine cervical IM injection at the c6-7 location for the treatment of non traumatic headaches using a non-inferiority design, randomized, prospective, open-label, controlled trial comparing it to physicians choice of intravenous medications in treatment of headache in the Emergency Department at North Florida Hospital.

Phase 3
Waitlist Available

HCA Florida north florida Hospital

Robyn Hoelle, MD

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We made a collection of clinical trials featuring Depakote, we think they might fit your search criteria.
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Image of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, United States.

Cocoa Extract for Migraine

18+
All Sexes
Boston, MA

The goal of this clinical trial is to assess the feasibility of recruitment and adherence to a high-dose cocoa extract supplement in individuals diagnosed with episodic migraine. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Will we be able to enroll 114 participants during the recruitment period? * Will participants take study pills daily during the pill-taking period? Researchers will compare two doses of cocoa extract to placebo to determine the acceptability of higher doses of cocoa extract supplementation in this patient population. Participants will be asked to: * Provide two urine samples * Complete daily questionnaires * Take four study pills a day for 12 weeks

Recruiting
Dietary Supplement

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Pamela M Rist, ScD

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We made a collection of clinical trials featuring Depakote, we think they might fit your search criteria.
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