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TheTwighlight

TheTwighlight

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Feb 2, 2006
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I was very surprised today to find out how similar Valproic Acid is to Pregabalin! What are the expert's opinions? I like it. After it starts working.
 
you talkin about depakoate?????? i would think that i would have heard about it being abused when it was being scripted like crazy in teh late 90s.
 
My knowledge of depakote is limited to what I read on wiki a few minutes ago, but based on that there do seem to be many similarities. I'm a fan of lyrica, and have easy access to free valproic acid, so I'm am suddenly quite interested in this.
 
seep said:
placebo
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The OP hasn't given any details about how they've found valproate acid to be similar to pregabalin so it's hard to assess what they mean when they say they've found out they're similar. Have they read something which suggests that? Have they taken valproic acid and found its effects similar to pregabalin?
 
They both treat the symptoms so the similarity is not the surprising. There are also some key chemical differences. Pregabalin has an extra NH2 and H group which likely contributes to ability to pass through the BBB and potency, although i do not know the specific mechanism of action on these types of receptors.
 
On all counts there is SIGNIFICANT difference.

If the OP is going off structure then there is certainly enough distinction to make them different.

Pregabalin = calcium channel blocker or to be precise
NSFW:
Like gabapentin, pregabalin binds to the α2δ (alpha2delta) subunit of the voltage-dependent calcium channel in the central nervous system. This reduces calcium influx into the nerve terminals. Pregabalin also decreases the release of neurotransmitters such as glutamate, noradrenaline, and substance P (Australian Medicines Handbook). Pregabalin increases neuronal GABA levels by producing a dose-dependent increase in glutamic acid decarboxylase activity.Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) is the enzyme that converts the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate into the inhibitory GABA in a single step. For this reason, pregabalin greatly potentiates benzodiazepines, barbiturates & other depressants.

It also has a NH2

Vaproate = sodium channel blocker or
NSFW:
Valproate is believed to affect the function of the neurotransmitter GABA in the human brain, making it an alternative to lithium salts in treatment of bipolar disorder. Its principal mechanism of action is believed to be the inhibition of the transamination of GABA (by inhibiting GABA transaminase). However, several other mechanisms of action in neuropsychiatric disorders have been proposed for valproic acid in recent years. Valproic acid also blocks the voltage-gated sodium channels and T-type calcium channels. These mechanisms make valproic acid a broad spectrum anticonvulsant drug. Valproic acid is an inhibitor of the enzyme histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1), hence it is a histone deacetylase inhibitor.


BIG difference.

..and haven't tried both but would bet a LOT of money subjectively they are very different if tested.

The best you will get is they are in the same category of drugs OR are broadly speaking analogues of GABA
 
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as in general effects sedating, confusion, drowsiness etc etc.

There might be quite a lot of illogic in the USA drugs regulation system but with pregabalin there is some logic. I'm sorry I JUST cannot imagine valproate "abuse" whilst I can imagine pregabalin "abuse"

valproate I beleive is a far more powerful and crude anti-epileptic than pregabalin ?can't be bothered to reference that but relatively certain [in fact yes phenytoin is also a sodium channel blocker also so almost convinced of that]
 
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Same...I was on valproic acid for almost six months after a couple of seizures from benzo cold turkey discontinuation and I can't imagine how someone could abuse it.
I was prescribed 500mg twice daily which is considered a low-medium dose and I tried much higher doses on few occasions.

The doses needed to actually feel some sort of high are quite big even for someone without benzo tollerance and the effects IMO are not receational at all, it's way far from a benzo experience. It has anxiolitic properties but.....from my point of view it's just good for therapeutic purposes.

Also it is known to be not so gentle on the liver and kidneys considering the doses so I would refrain from taking regularly high doses even if you like it as a drug of abuse.
 
Lolie said:
The OP hasn't given any details about how they've found valproate acid to be similar to pregabalin so it's hard to assess what they mean when they say they've found out they're similar. Have they read something which suggests that? Have they taken valproic acid and found its effects similar to pregabalin?
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Good point. I assumed he meant it gives a high similar to pregabalin's.

Hyper-brevity is good for haiku and a few other things.
 
seep said:
Good point. I assumed he meant it gives a high similar to pregabalin's.

Hyper-brevity is good for haiku and a few other things.
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Given how long valproic acid has been in use and how widely it's been prescribed, you'd expect that any recreational potential would have been discovered long ago and be well known by now.

It sure as shit isn't recreational at moderate doses and I've never heard any of my epileptic friends who take it at much higher doses than I do mention any recreational effect - and many of them are all about getting high on both prescribed and illegal drugs.
 
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