Effect of anticonvulsants on human chromosomes. 2. In vitro studies.

The effects of 3 anticonvulsant drugs (diphenylhydantoin, ethosuximide, and phenobarbital) on human peripheral lymphocytes in vitro were studied. The rate of chromosomal aberrations induced by the 3 anticonvulsants was significantly increased from the first concentration analyzed, similar to half the therapeutic serum concentration. These findings are compared with other previous reports.