Analysis of DNA damage using the comet assay in female patients treated with phenytoin for epilepsy
Özet
Women with epilepsy have been encouraged to consider marriage and child bearing
in recent years. Antiepileptic drugs are mostly used such as phenytoin, but its effect on fetus health
and its long term effects on DNA have not been enough clear yet. The decision to continue or
initiate pharmacotherapy for epilepsy during pregnancy becomes complicated. Therefore it was
aimed to determine the potential toxic effects of long term phenytoin monotherapy on the
peripheral blood lymphocytes of female patients with epilepsy using the comet assay. Twentythree female patients on a long-term treatment of phenytoin monotherapy for 2-6 years were
studied. The epileptic female patients who had normal menstrual cycles, and who were in,
otherwise, good health were accepted. They were also nonsmokers. Control group consisted of 23
healthy, nonsmoker female patients, who had normal menstrual cycles and did not use any longterm drugs. The blood samples were taken from the control and patient groups within 20th and 27th
days following the beginning of their menstrual bleeding. As a result, the statistical comparison of
the comet scores of two groups demonstrated that there is a significant difference in number of
damaged cells. Damaged (limited and extensive migrated) cells in the epileptic women who were
taking phenytoin were higher than the control group (p<O,OOO 1).
