title: Protective effect of D,L-carnitine on valproate-induced hyperammonemia and hypoketonemia in primary cultured rat hepatocytes.
abstract: The effect of D,L-carnitine on sodium valproate (VPA)-induced hyperammonemia and hypoketonemia was investigated in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. Administration of VPA (0.1 to 1.0 mM) resulted in an increase of ammonia and a decrease of ketone bodies in culture medium. When D,L-carnitine was added with VPA to the medium, the level of ammonia decreased significantly and that of ketone bodies increased. A significant negative relationship was found between the concentrations of ammonia and the ketone bodies in the medium following administration of D,L-carnitine. Our results suggested that VPA suppressed the urea cycle metabolism and that a protective effect of D,L-carnitine on ketone metabolism was probably due to the reversal of the inhibition of beta-oxidation.
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002331:Carnitine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005971:Glutamates / Q000378:metabolism; D007657:Ketone Bodies / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D005971:Glutamates; D007657:Ketone Bodies; D014635:Valproic Acid; D000641:Ammonia; C016195:N-acetylglutamic acid; D002331:Carnitine