 Valproic acid is a carboxylic acid, a clear liquid at room temperature.For many decades, its only use was in laboratories as a "metabolically inert" solvent for organic compounds.In 1962, the French researcher Pierre Eymard serendipitously discovered the anticonvulsant properties of valproic acid while using it as a vehicle for a number of other compounds that were being screened for antiseizure activity.