Therapeutic and toxic properties of lithium
Schou, M.
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. Supplementum 34(136): 51-55
1959
ISSN/ISBN: 0065-1591 PMID: 14443506 Document Number: 3195
When lithium carbonate is administered in doses of 1-2 g/day to patients suffering from manic phases of a manic-depressive psychosis, the symptoms abate or disappear in about 80%of the cases. Controlled double-blind studies indicate that in at least half of these cases the improvement is due to the lithium given and not to spontaneous variation, suggestion, or inaccuracies of clinical assessment. Lithium treatment is preferable to electroshock therapy and to other drug therapy in protracted or frequently recurring mania. It appears to be ineffective during depression. Lithium is potentially toxic; but the toxic effects may be checked and the drug used' safely in controlled doses if the patients are secured a proper supply of sodium in the food. Animal experiments have shown that the principal toxic action of lithium is on the kidney tubules. Sodium protects against toxic injury through a competition with lithium for entrance into the reabsorption through the tubule cells.
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