PLASMA TRACE-ELEMENT, PLASMA GLUTATHIONE-PEROXIDASE, AND SUPEROXIDE-DISMUTASE LEVELS IN EPILEPTIC CHILDREN RECEIVING ANTIEPILEPTIC DRUG-THERAPY

Some antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) may alter trace element metabolism and free radical scavenging enzyme activities in humans and experimental animals. We investigated the effect of long-term AED therapy on copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), selenium (Se), magnesium (Mg), gluta thione peroxidase (GSH-PX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the plas ma in children with epilepsy. During treatment with valproate (VPA) or carbamazepine (CBZ) monotherapy plasma Cu, Zn, Mn, Se, and Mg concent rations of patients were not statistically different from those of con trol subjects. The level of serum VPA weakly correlated with the incre ase in plasma Zn level. Recent studies suggest that membrane lipid per oxidation may be causally involved in some forms of epilepsies, and th e decreased free radical scavenging enzyme activity is believed to cau se the increased risk of an idiosyncratic drug reaction encountered in the management of epilepsy. Because GSH-PX and SOD are the most impor tant members of antioxidant defense mechanisms, we quantitated the act ivities of these enzymes in plasma of children with epilepsy receiving VPA or CBZ. Only plasma GSH-PX activities in VPA group were higher th an those of the control group, and the difference was statistically si gnificant.