Oxcarbazepine metabolite (MHC), serum

Oxcarbazepine (OCBZ) is approved as monotherapy and adjunctive therapy for partial seizures with and without secondary generalized seizures in adults and as adjunctive therapy for partial seizures in children. In humans, OCBZ is a prodrug that is almost immediately and completely metabolized to 10-hydroxy-10,11-dihydrocarbamazepine, known as monohydroxycarbamazepine (MHC), an active metabolite that is responsible for OCBZ’s therapeutic effect. The elimination half-life is 1 to 2.5 hours for OCBZ and 8 to 10 hours for MHC. The therapeutic range (3–35 mcg/mL) is based on concentrations of the metabolite, not the parent drug; this assay measures the metabolite only.

  • Sample of blood serum
  • We perform the test every Friday