Skip to main content
PMC home page
British Journal of Pharmacology logoLink to British Journal of Pharmacology
. 1978 Oct;64(2):273–279. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1978.tb17300.x

The pharmacokinetics of lithium in the brain, cerebrospinal fluid and serum of the rat.

O Wraae
PMCID: PMC1668326  PMID: 708996

Abstract

1 Addition of lithium carbonate (55 mmol/kg dry wt.) to the diet of rats for 4 days resulted in ratios between lithium in the brain and serum and between the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum of approx. 1 and 0.4, respectively. The relationships between the concentrations were linear. 2 After single intraperitoneal injections of lithium chloride (5 mmol/kg body wt.) the concentration of lithium in the CSF was greater than that of the brain for 2 h. 3 Repeated subcutaneous injections of lithium chloride (0.9 mmol/kg body wt.) resulted in steady state ratios corresponding to those observed when lithium was given in the diet. The rate of elimination from the CSF was intermediate between that of the serum and cerebral tissue until a new equilibrium was reached after approx. 24 h. At that time the ratios between lithium in the brain and serum, and in the CSF and serum were increased to approx. 5 and 0.8, respectively. 4 These results are consistent with passive transfer kinetics of lithium in the CSF and elimination of lithium from the cerebral tissue via the CSF. 5 The results may explain some of the phenomena observed in patients during intoxication with lithium.

Full text

PDF
277

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Amdisen A., Skjoldborg H. Haemodialysis for lithium poisoning. Lancet. 1969 Jul 26;2(7613):213–213. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(69)91447-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Baker M. A., Winokur G. Cerebrospinal fluid lithium in manic illness. Br J Psychiatry. 1966 Feb;112(483):163–165. doi: 10.1192/bjp.112.483.163. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Frazer A., Mendels J., Secunda S. K., Cochrane C. M., Bianchi C. P. The prediction of brain lithium concentrations from plasma or erythrocyte measures. J Psychiatr Res. 1973 Jun;10(1):1–7. doi: 10.1016/0022-3956(73)90004-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. GERSHON S., YUWILER A. Lithium ion: a specific psychopharmacological approach to the treatment of mania. J Neuropsychiatr. 1960 May-Jun;1:229–241. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Lehmann K., Scherber A., Graupner K. Konzentrationsverlauf von Lithium im Liquor und Augenkammerwasser nach einmaliger oraler Applikation beim Menchen. Int J Clin Pharmacol Biopharm. 1976 Jan;13(1):22–26. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Mukherjee B. P., Bailey P. T., Pradhan S. N. Temporal and regional differences in brain concentrations of lithium in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 1976 Jul 9;48(1):119–121. doi: 10.1007/BF00423317. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Paul H. A., Pilz H., Munz E. Der Lithiumgehalt im Liquor cerebrospinalis bei Therapie mit Lithiumsalzen. Nervenarzt. 1973 Apr;44(4):210–211. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Prockop L. D., Marcus D. J. Cerebrospinal fluid lithium: passive transfer kinetics. Life Sci II. 1972 Sep 8;11(17):859–868. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(72)90170-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. SCHOU M., JUEL-NIELSEN N., STROMGREN E., VOLDBY H. The treatment of manic psychoses by the administration of lithium salts. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1954 Nov;17(4):250–260. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.17.4.250. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Smith D. F., Balagura S. The effect of lithium chloride on the electrolyte composition of cerebrospinal fluid of the rat. Physiol Behav. 1972 Aug;9(2):261–262. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(72)90246-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Thomsen K., Olesen O. V. Long-term lithium administration to rats. Lithium and sodium dosage and administration, avoidance of intoxication, polyuric control rats. Int Pharmacopsychiatry. 1974;9(2):118–124. doi: 10.1159/000468123. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Watanabe S., Taguchi K., Ebara T., Iguchi K., Otsuki S. Lithium concentration in cerebrospinal fluid of affective psychotic patients treated with lithium carbonate and its clinical response. Folia Psychiatr Neurol Jpn. 1973;27(4):299–303. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1819.1973.tb02662.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Wraae O., Hillman H., Round E. The uptake of low concentrations of lithium ions into rat cerebral cortex slices and its dependence on cations. J Neurochem. 1976 Apr;26(4):835–843. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1976.tb04460.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Pharmacology are provided here courtesy of The British Pharmacological Society

RESOURCES