title: Retinal ganglion cell toxicity due to oxcarbazepine and valproic acid treatment in rat.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate and to compare the possible toxic effects of oxcarbazepine (OXC) and valproic acid (VPA) on retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in rat.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty female Wistar rats (21-24 days old and weighted between 44.6 and 57.3g) were divided equally into 4 experimental groups which were applied tap water (group 1), 300mg/(kgday) VPA (group 2), 100mg/(kgday) OXC (group 3), and both VPA and OXC (group 4) via gavage for 90 days. Enucleation was performed for histopathologic analysis. RGCs were counted under the light microscopic examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RGC numbers in OXC and combined OXC-VPA groups were found to be lower than those of control group. On the other hand RGC number was comparable with those of control group in VPA group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OXC seems to be toxic to RGCs at 100mg/kg dose when it is been given as a monotherapy or combined with VPA. Single VPA treatment has no effect on RGC number.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Gazi University School of Medicine, Turkey. drzeynep2000@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Aktaş
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cansu
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Erdoğan
authors.forename: Gülnur
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Take
authors.forename: Guleser
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goktas
authors.forename: Sengul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozdek
authors.forename: Ayse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serdaroglu