Protective role of carnitine against the Toxic effects of Valproic acid on the skeletal muscles in Albino rats

Objective: to determine the protective role of carnitine against the valproic acid (vpa) induced toxicity in the skeletal muscles of albino rats. material and methods: it was an experimental study of concurrent parallel design in albino rats,carried out in the department of pathology khyber medical college,peshawar from january 2012 to december 2013. thirty adults and apparently healthy albino rats were selected. the animals were divided into 5 equal groups i.e. group a (control-kept on the diet of animal house only),group b treated with therapeutic regimen of vpa),group c (treated with therapeutic regimen of vpa + supplement of carnitine),group d treated with toxic regimen of vpa) & group e (treated with toxic regimen of vpa + supplement of carnitine). two sections of each biopsy were taken,thus total 60 sections were taken to see the histological findings. all the animals were fed on the routine diet of animal house and then sacrificed after 03 weeks of treatment. the calf muscle of each animal was properly fixed,sectioned,processed,stained with h & e and then seen under the light microscope. results: no significant changes were seen in group a & c. foci of hyalinization were seen in 2 (16.66%) sections of the muscles of group b & e,and in 4(33.33%) of group d. conclusion: the results of the present study shows that carnitine plays a significant protective role against the vpa induced myopathies.