Valnoctamide is an isomer and an analog of valpromide. Unlike valpromide, valnoctamide does not undergo biotransformation to the corresponding free acid (6-9). In animal studies it is at least as anticonvulsant as valproate and valpromide (1, 6, 10). It has been marketed as an anxiolytic and sedative in several European countries (as Nirvanil) including Italy, Holland and Switzerland but has not actively been promoted as an anticonvulsant. It was marketed in the USA as Axiquel by McNeil in the 1970's. Unfortunately, despite considerable efforts we have not been able to obtain pharmacovigilance data from this period. Given its equivalence to valproate and valpromide as an anticonvulsant in animal models of epilepsy (1, 6, 10), it is reasonable to assume that valnoctamide is also anticonvulsant in humans. It is also likely or at least possible that valnoctamide is anti-bipolar. In mice valnoctamide has been shown to be distinctly less teratogenic than valproate (11). Injection at day 8 of gestation produced only 1percent exencephaly (as compared to 0-1percent in control mice and 53 percent in valproate treated mice). Embryolethality rates showed similar results: 52 percent with valproate vs. 5percent in the controls and 2 percent with valnoctamide.