Absorption of valproic acid from the gastrointestinal tract of the piglet.

Valproic acid is a commonly used drug for the treatment of epilepsy. Since valproic acid can only be given orally, its absorption from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract especially in patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS) and in neonates is important. The specific sites of absorption for valproic acid in the small intestine and colon have not been investigated. It is currently unknown whether these patients are able to absorb oral valproic acid sufficiently to maintain a therapeutic serum concentration. The primary objectives of the study were to: (a) determine the relative absorption of valproic acid from specific sites in the GI tract; and (b) investigate the influence of intestinal development on valproic acid absorption using the newborn piglet as a model. Two groups were studied: Group I included 5 piglets 18-21 days of age, and Group II included 5 piglets 1-3 days of age. A valproic acid solution was simultaneously perfused through 5 partitioned segments of the gastrointestinal tract: the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, right colon and left colon. Tritiated [3H] polyethylene glycol was co-administered to monitor water movement across the GI mucosa. Following steady state, samples were collected from each segment, and analyzed by a specific enzyme-mediated immunoassay. The absorption rates (micrograms/min/cm) of valproic acid in Group I were as follows: 9.96 +/- 2.8 duodenum; 11.28 +/- 2.79, jejunum; 9.42 +/- 3.34, ileum; 10.88 +/- 3.35, right colon; 10.96 +/- 2.92, left colon.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)