Transition of Psychotropic Drugs in Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP) (Part 17) Transitions in the Standards and Test Methods of Valproic Acid and Sodium Valproate in Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP), Pharmacopoeia of the USA (USP), British Pharmacopoeia (BP), and the Knowledge and Judgment about Japanese Valeriana, and Valproic Acid from Valeric Acid

Valproic acid (VPA) and sodium valproate (VPA-Na) are used for the treatment of various things today, such as epilepsy and manic-depressive states. Moreover, use has expanded to a variety of applications, such as the prevention of migraine headaches. As a result, a high demand has been maintained. The chemical structure is a branching low-grade saturated fatty acid, which is simpler than other psychotropic drugs. VPA is called 2-propyl-pentanoic acid and 2-propyl-valeric acid under the IUPAC system, and is derived from Valeric acid. This time, the author researched transitions in the standards and testing methods for VPA and VPA-Na in JP, USP and BP. It was found that each countryʼs pharmacopoeia described a detection test for substances related to VPA. It can be explained that VPA is derived from Valeric acid based on the test contents. Valeric acid is a component of Japanese Valeriana and Valerian root. It is believed that there is a sense of value as the origin of VPA is Japanese Valeriana and Valeriana root.