Influence of conventional antiepileptic drugs on glutathione-S-transferase and lipid peroxidation in children with idiopathic epilepsy

Abstract Background Evidence suggests that conventional antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) change the oxidative-antioxidative balance in epileptic children, so our aim of this study to evaluate the influence of the conventional AEDs valproic acid (VPA), carbamazepine (CBZ), or both on antioxidant enzyme activity and lipid peroxidation in epileptic children. Methods Fifty patients with idiopathic epilepsy and twenty five healthy children serving as controls were included in the study. The epileptic children were further subdivided into three subgroups according to drug therapy: group A, twenty patients treated with VPA; group B, twenty patients treated with CBZ; and group C, ten patients treated with both drugs. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) levels were measured in the patients and controls. Results The GST level was significantly lower in the patients than that in the controls (p < 0.001), while the MDA level was significantly higher in the patients than that in the controls (p < 0.001). The duration of drug intake was negatively correlated with the GST level and positively correlated with the MDA level in the three epileptic patient groups. Conclusion The oxidant-antioxidant balance is disturbed in epileptic children who receive VPA, CBZ, or both