The potential antiepileptic activity of astaxanthin in epileptic rats treated with valproic acid.

Objectives: Epilepsy is a neurological disease characterized by sudden, abnormal, and hyper- discharges in the central nervous system (CNS). Valproic acid (VPA) is commonly used as a broad-spectrum antiepileptic therapeutic. However, in many cases, patients develop resistance to VPA treatment due to overwhelming oxidative stress, which in turn might be a major catalyst for disease progression.