Valproate is commonly used as a first-line broad-spectrum anti-epileptic drug. Valproate has a narrow therapeutic window, its metabolism is affected by many factors, and it has great individual differences, which makes individualized drug dosage regime needed for valproate. Population pharmacokinetics is a population analytical method developed in recent years. This paper reviewed the in vivo metabolic process and the population pharmacokinetics of valproate in recent years, and analyzed the factors that may affect the metabolism of valproate, including demographic factors, genetic factors and concomitant medications, hoping to provide reference for clinical individualized drug dosage regime.