Is sodium valproate the same as valproic acid?

Cliona99

Hi, can anyone tell me if valproic acid and sodium valproate are the same thing? Googling just made me more confused...
Thanks!

echo beach

Sodium valproate is the sodium salt of valproic acid acid and is the form used in anti-epilepsy medicines.
Valproic acid is sometimes used in the treatment of mania or bi-polar disorder but sodium valproate is also used for this. The prescription should specify the form or the brand name.
It is important not to take either form if you could become pregnant.

locum-motion

For layman's purposes: Yes, they are the same thing.

From a chemist's perspective; No, they're not quite.

Cliona99

Thanks for your help!

echo beach

echo beach wrote: »

Sodium valproate is the sodium salt of valproic acid acid and is the form used in anti-epilepsy medicines.
Valproic acid is sometimes used in the treatment of mania or bi-polar disorder but sodium valproate is also used for this. The prescription should specify the form or the brand name.
It is important not to take either form if you could become pregnant.

So a person should just stop their anti epileptic medication if they might become pregnant. Solid advice.

echo beach

Deleted User wrote: »

So a person should just stop their anti epileptic medication if they might become pregnant. Solid advice.

Of course they shouldn't and I didn't suggest that anybody should just stop taking prescribed medicine.
There are strong warnings about the dangers of sodium valproate in pregnancy and, because the OP's username suggests she is female and may be of a age when it is relevant, I was trying to alert her that they also apply to valproic acid, which isn't as commonly used.
Any woman with epilepsy who is planning a pregnancy needs specialist advice.

Pookla

echo beach wrote: »

It is important not to take either form if you could become to promptly discuss with your GP/neurologist/obstetrician if you become / plan to become / or think you might be pregnant.

FYP.

steddyeddy

Not quite. The pharmokinetics and dynamics would differ slightly (slightly between the two).

Glutamate is an amino acid. It is an acid because it has the ability to donate a proton. Mono sodium glutamate is the salt form of that amino acid. The carboxylic moiety of the glutamate is highly electronegative, having the ability to donate a proton (hydrogen minus electrons). Add a sodium atom to it and and negates the negative charge.

Things with any sort of charge are a lot less permeable to membranes so there can be a slight difference in dynamics.