Identification of valproic acid metabolites in human serum and urine using hexadeuterated valproic acid and gas chromatographic mass spectrometric analysis

Valproic acid, an antiepileptic drug, is extensively metabolized in humans. A hexadeuterated valproic acid was used in this study to aid the identification of metabolites and their artifacts in serum and urine extracts. A 600 mg oral dose of hexadeuterated valproic acid was administered to a human volunteer at steady state serum concentrations of unlabelled valproic acid. By using gas chromatography mass spectrometry, metabolites were characterized as their methyl, tert ‐butyldimethylsilyl, or trimethylsilyl derivatives. A di‐unsaturated metabolite with concentrations comparable to 2‐ene valproic acid was identified in serum and urine. The presence of a molecular ion doublet in the mass spectrum corresponding to the unlabelled and hexadeuterated dienes reduces the possible structures for this metabolite. A new metabolite, 2‐propyl‐4‐ketopentanoic acid was also identified in serum and in urine. The dicarboxylic acids, 2‐propylsuccinic and 2‐propylmalonic were identified in the urine extract as metabolites. Identification of isolated metabolites was aided by comparison of the retention times and mass spectra to those of synthesized reference compounds. Diagnostic fragment ions and ion doublets in the mass spectra of the derivatives of newly identified metabolites were compared to those of known metabolites.