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PubMed · 10563060

Using lithium safely.

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Abstract

Lithium is a difficult drug to use. Although it is effective in the management of mania, manic-depressive illness and recurrent depression, its unwanted effects are troublesome and the dose needs to be titrated against measurements of blood levels. With care, however, the risks can be minimized. Here we discuss lithium and approaches to optimize its use.

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Antimanic AgentsDrug MonitoringHumansLithium CompoundsJournal ArticleReview

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BibTeXRIS

1999. Using lithium safely.. https://doi.org/10.1136/dtb.1999.37322

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PubMed2000

Chronic treatment of human astrocytoma cells with lithium, carbamazepine or valproic acid decreases inositol uptake at high inositol concentrations but increases it at low inositol concentrations.

Inositol uptake was measured at concentrations of 25, 40 and 50 microM in human astrocytoma cell cultures treated for 1-3 weeks with pharmacologically relevant concentrations of LiCl, valproic acid or carbamazepine as well as in control cultures that had not been treated with any drug. After at least 2 weeks of treatment, each of these 3 conventional anti-bipolar drugs increased the uptake significantly at 25 microM inositol, had no effect at 40 microM, and decreased it at 50 microM inositol. Reduction of the drug concentrations by 50% abolished the stimulation of uptake at 25 microM inositol by lithium and valproic acid and reduced that by carbamazepine. These findings may contribute to an understanding of the mechanisms of action for anti-bipolar medication, and explain the controversy in the literature whether or not brain inositol is reduced after chronic administration of lithium.

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