ABSTRACT
Considerable controversy surrounds the question whether or not slow-release lithium preparations are of any significant value in lithium prophylaxis. However, a better measure of the bioavailability of the preparations is given by following the profile of serum lithium in a human subject following a single dose. Shaw has reviewed this field but concludes that the variety of experimental conditions and pharmacological insults make it very difficult to say which are the most significant, or even valid, observations and that many of the results may be secondary to toxicity. In particular the authors have shown that lithium inhibits pyruvate kinase at pharmacological concentrations both in enzyme obtained from rabbit muscle and from a purified rat brain preparation. The authors have carried out an extensive series of studies in lithium-treated patients and in rats and they conclude that any effects which they have seen have been the result of the normal aging process and not an effect of lithium.
