Effects of carbamazepine combined with vitamin B12 on levels of plasma homocysteine, hs-CRP and TNF-α in patients with epilepsy

Zhou,Tianchi; Wang,Nuan; Xu,Lei; Huang,Hongli; Yu,Chunyu; Zhou,Hao

doi:10.3892/etm.2018.5698

Effects of carbamazepine combined with vitamin B12 on levels of plasma homocysteine, hs-CRP and TNF-α in patients with epilepsy

Authors:
- Tianchi Zhou
- Nuan Wang
- Lei Xu
- Hongli Huang
- Chunyu Yu
- Hao Zhou
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Affiliations: School of Clinical Medicine, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222002, P.R. China, Department of Neurology, The First People's Hospital of Xuzhou, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221000, P.R. China, Department of Pharmacy, The First People's Hospital of Xuzhou, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221000, P.R. China
Published online on: January 4, 2018 https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2018.5698
Pages: 2327-2332
Copyright: © Zhou et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

The efficacy of carbamazepine combined with vitamin B12 in epilepsy treatment by comparing levels of plasma homocysteine (Hcy), serum TNF-α and hs-CRP in patients with epilepsy before and after treatment was investigated. Fifty-eight patients with epilepsy who were admitted and received treatment in The First People's Hospital of Xuzhou were recruited as subjects, and fifty-eight healthy volunteers were recruited as the control group. Patients were treated with carbamazepine combined with vitamin B12 for a period of three months. The mRNA and protein levels of TNF-α and hs-CRP in serum were measured before and after treatment using semi-quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting, respectively. The plasma Hcy levels were measured as well. Within one year after the 3-month treatment, the frequency and duration of seizure were tracked. After treatment with carbamazepine combined with vitamin B12 for patients with epilepsy, the Hcy level was significantly higher than that before treatment and that in the control group (P<0.01). The mRNA and protein levels of TNF-α and hs-CRP in serum were significantly higher in patients than that in healthy people (P<0.01). After treatment these levels were reduced (P<0.01), but still higher than those in healthy people (P<0.05, P<0.01). After treatment, the frequency and duration of seizures were all reduced (P<0.05, P<0.01). The results suggested that carbamazepine combined with vitamin B12 was effective in treatment of epilepsy by reducing levels of TNF-α and hs-CRP in the serum, but had a risk of increasing the Hcy level.

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