Safer Pregnancy Epilepsy Drug: Rapamycin Enhances Safety

epilepsy drug, but it isn’t recommended to take during pregnancy"/>

A study found that combining the epilepsy medication sodium valproate with the drug rapamycin could potentially prevent developmental issues in pregnant women. Sodium valproate is commonly used to treat epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and migraines, but its use during pregnancy is discouraged due to the risk of birth defects and learning difficulties in the baby.

Researchers at the University of Queensland created mini spinal cords, known as organoids, in a lab to investigate how sodium valproate affects fetal development. When exposed to the drug, the cells in the organoids showed changes associated with congenital conditions.

The study revealed that a cell signalling pathway called mTOR was implicated in these effects, leading to cellular senescence, a process where cells stop multiplying but release inflammatory chemicals. Rapamycin, which targets the mTOR pathway, prevented this senescence when combined with sodium valproate in experiments on spinal organoids and zebrafish larvae.

While further research is needed before this combination therapy can be recommended for pregnant women taking sodium valproate, the findings offer hope for mitigating the drug’s negative impact. Experts emphasize the importance of sodium valproate in treating seizures and welcome the potential for safeguarding its benefits.

Topics: Health, Pregnancy, Epilepsy Medication, Drug Combination