Sodium valproate is a broad-spectrum antiepileptic — the one medicine that works across almost every seizure type, which is why it has been a mainstay of epilepsy treatment for fifty years. It raises levels of the calming neurotransmitter GABA in the brain and acts on sodium and calcium channels, and it is particularly valuable when the seizure type is mixed or unclear, or when absence and myoclonic seizures are involved, where carbamazepine would make things worse.
In the NAFDAC register
19 registered products
from 14 registration holders
What it costs online
Our sampling found 3 listings (August 2026) — every one of them Epilim Chrono 500 mg Tablets, listed at ₦4,000–₦67,500. That is Epilim Chrono 500 mg Tablets's price, not the molecule's — one brand's price cannot honestly stand for a molecule the register lists under many, so no market-wide figure is shown — see the Epilim Chrono 500 mg Tablets page for what those listings cost.
Brands of Sodium Valproate in Nigeria
Those 19 products from 14 registration holders include combination products and older listings; below are the most common brands.
| Brand Name | Manufacturer | Strength | Form | NAFDAC Reg. No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epilim Chrono 500 mg Tablets | Sanofi-Aventis Nigeria Limited | 500mg | Controlled-release tablet | 04-2456 |
| Encorate Chrono 500 | Ranbaxy Nigeria Limited | 500mg | Controlled-release tablet | A4-0894 |
| Encorate Chrono 200 | Ranbaxy Nigeria Limited | 200mg | Controlled-release tablet | A4-0895 |
| Valcontin 500 Tablet | Phillips Pharmaceuticals (Nigeria) Limited | 500mg | Controlled-release tablet | A4-5954 |
| Racex Tablets | Dony-Triumph and Company Nigeria Limited | 200mg | Tablet | B4-4378 |
Sodium Valproate Price in Nigeria
Sodium Valproate prices in Nigeria vary by brand, strength, and where you buy it. Confirm the current price with a licensed pharmacy, and always check the product is NAFDAC-registered before you pay.
We show a price here once it appears in our monthly sampling of Nigerian online pharmacies (MedPlus, HealthPlus), or when we have a reliable market figure. For now, confirm the current price directly with a licensed pharmacy.
How to Verify Your Sodium Valproate is Genuine
- 1Check the NAFDAC number on the pack — Epilim Chrono 500mg carries 04-2456 in our copy of the register.
- 2Registered generics include Encorate Chrono 500 (A4-0894) and 200 (A4-0895) from Ranbaxy, Valcontin 500 (A4-5954) from Phillips, and Racex (B4-4378).
- 3Confirm the number with our NAFDAC checker before paying.
- 4Check whether the pack says Chrono or controlled-release. The plain and controlled-release forms are dosed differently and are not casually interchangeable.
- 5Buy from a registered pharmacy and keep the pack — with a medicine this consequential, being able to say exactly which product and batch you took matters.
Where to Buy
Buying Sodium Valproate by the carton
Cartons are bought at Nigeria's four open drug markets. Each guide names the sellers there you can contact, and how to buy safely:
No shop we list has Sodium Valproate on its confirmed product list yet — the market guides still tell you where the trade happens and how to buy there safely.
Wherever you buy, buy only from licensed pharmacies and verified distributors — not roadside vendors — and verify the pack's NAFDAC registration before you pay. Buying Sodium Valproate in bulk or for resale? See how to buy medicines in bulk in Nigeria safely.
Need Sodium Valproate in bulk, or can't find it near you?
Tell us what you need and we'll connect you with a verified, NAFDAC-registered source.
What is Sodium Valproate?
In Nigeria it is usually met as Epilim Chrono from Sanofi, or as one of the Indian-made controlled-release generics: Encorate Chrono, Valcontin, Racex. Our copy of the NAFDAC register shows ten active valproate registrations from eight companies, though only two of those are sodium valproate on its own — most are the controlled-release form, which pairs sodium valproate with valproic acid and is why the strength on the pack is sometimes printed as two figures. The Chrono or controlled-release presentations are taken twice daily, and a pack labelled 333mg plus 145mg is the standard way of writing an amount equivalent to 500mg of sodium valproate.
Valproate is also a first-rank mood stabiliser in bipolar disorder, and this dual role matters in practice: a person may be taking it from a psychiatrist rather than a neurologist, and the pregnancy warnings below apply just as absolutely.
What is Sodium Valproate used for?
In Nigeria, Sodium Valproate is commonly used for:
- Generalised tonic-clonic seizures
- Absence seizures — where it is a first-line choice
- Myoclonic seizures and juvenile myoclonic epilepsy
- Epilepsy with mixed or uncertain seizure types, where a broad-spectrum drug is safest
- Acute mania and maintenance treatment in bipolar disorder
- Migraine prevention, in selected patients under medical supervision
Dosage
IMPORTANT
Always follow your doctor's or pharmacist's instructions. The information below is for general reference only.
Adults
Treatment usually starts around 600mg per day in two divided doses and is increased in steps of 150mg to 300mg every three days until seizures are controlled, with a usual maintenance range of 1000mg to 2000mg per day. Controlled-release (Chrono) tablets are taken twice daily and should be swallowed whole, not crushed. Taking valproate with food reduces stomach upset. The maximum dose is set by weight and by response, and belongs to the prescriber.
Children
Children are dosed by weight, commonly starting near 10 to 15mg per kg per day and increasing to a maintenance range of 20 to 30mg per kg per day in divided doses, under specialist supervision. Valproate is used with particular caution in children under three years, in whom the risk of serious liver injury is highest, and generally only when no alternative will do.
Elderly
Older adults are more sensitive to the drowsiness and unsteadiness valproate causes, and clear the drug more slowly. Doses are started lower and increased more gradually, with attention to any tremor or confusion.
Never stop valproate suddenly — abrupt withdrawal can trigger prolonged seizures. Valproate is one of the few antiepileptics where the classic warning signs of serious harm are gastrointestinal: persistent vomiting, sudden loss of appetite, abdominal pain, drowsiness or the return of seizures on a previously effective dose can all signal liver injury or pancreatitis and need same-day medical attention, especially in the first six months.
Side Effects
Common side effects
- •Nausea, vomiting and indigestion, particularly at the start
- •Weight gain and increased appetite — a frequent reason people want to stop
- •Tremor, usually of the hands
- •Hair thinning or a change in hair texture — often reversible
- •Drowsiness and, in some, low mood or apathy
Serious side effects — seek medical help immediately
- Serious liver injury — highest risk in children under three and in the first six months of treatment
- Acute pancreatitis — severe abdominal pain radiating to the back, with vomiting
- Hyperammonaemic encephalopathy — confusion, lethargy or unexplained drowsiness
- Low platelet counts and bleeding problems
- Severe skin reactions including Stevens-Johnson syndrome — rare
When to see a doctor
Seek medical care the same day for persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain, yellowing of the eyes or skin, unusual drowsiness or confusion, unexplained bruising or bleeding, or a spreading rash. In a child under three these signs are urgent. Any woman taking valproate who becomes pregnant or plans to should contact her doctor immediately — but must not stop the medicine on her own.
Warnings & Precautions
Do not take Sodium Valproate if you have:
- PREGNANCY, and use in any woman able to become pregnant unless no other treatment works and a pregnancy-prevention plan is in place
- Active liver disease, or a family history of severe drug-related liver injury
- Known mitochondrial disorders caused by POLG gene mutations, and suspected mitochondrial disease in children under two
- Urea cycle disorders
- Acute porphyria
Drug interactions
- •Lamotrigine — valproate roughly doubles its level and sharply raises the risk of serious rash; lamotrigine doses must be halved and increased far more slowly
- •Carbamazepine, phenytoin and phenobarbital — complex two-way changes in blood levels
- •Aspirin — raises free valproate levels
- •Carbapenem antibiotics such as meropenem — can drop valproate levels sharply and cause breakthrough seizures
- •Warfarin and other anticoagulants — increased bleeding risk, compounded by valproate's effect on platelets
- •Alcohol — additive drowsiness and added liver strain
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ON THIS PAGE. Sodium valproate taken in pregnancy causes birth defects in roughly one in ten babies exposed, and lasting problems with learning, development and autism in around three to four in ten — far higher than any other common antiepileptic. Because of this, valproate should not be used in girls or in women who can become pregnant unless nothing else controls their epilepsy or bipolar illness, and then only with effective contraception and full counselling about the risk. If you are taking valproate and could become pregnant, ask your doctor about alternatives such as levetiracetam BEFORE you conceive. If you discover you are pregnant while taking it, contact your doctor immediately — but do not stop the tablets yourself, because an uncontrolled seizure is dangerous to both of you. Valproate passes into breast milk in small amounts and breastfeeding is generally considered compatible.
Related Resources for Sodium Valproate
Guides, articles, and tools related to Sodium Valproate and other epilepsy medicines in Nigeria.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
- •NAFDAC Greenbook — the official database of all products registered with Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. Brand-level NAFDAC numbers for Sodium Valproate on this page were cross-referenced against the Greenbook.
- •WHO Model List of Essential Medicines — Sodium Valproate is included in the WHO's list of essential medicines, meaning it is considered essential for basic healthcare needs.
- •British National Formulary (BNF) dosing and interaction guidance for Sodium Valproate.
- •Nigerian Standard Treatment Guidelines (Federal Ministry of Health).
Daily puzzle: Meddle — pair five brands with their medicines. New game at midnight.