Effect of anticonvulsant drugs on interleukins-1,-2 and-6 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1

In order to evaluate whether treatment with valproic acid or carbamazepine can modify interleukins and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, we studied 40 epileptic children and adolescents. We evaluated the patients before and after 1 year of therapy. At the end of follow-up, the patients showed a significant increase of the production of interleukin-1alpha, interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1; interleukin-2 production was significantly higher only in patients receiving carbamazepine. In conclusion, antiepileptic drugs can influence the immune system by modifying interleukin and chemokine concentrations; these changes seem to be independent of the serum concentrations of these drugs.