PLASMA LITHIUM LEVELS AND SIDE EFFECTS DURING ADMINISTRATION OF A SLOW RELEASE LITHIUM SULPHATE PREPARATION (LITHIUM LIPETT C) AND LITHIUM CARBONATE TABLETS

Lithium lipett C (ACO Läkemedel, Sweden), a new lithium sulphate preparation with slow release achieved by dissolution in fat which releases 90% of its lithium content within less than 4 hours when treated with intestinal juice was compared with lithium carbonate tablets. In spite of a fairly swift release, there was a smoother plasma lithium curve with the lipett C than with the carbonate tablets. The frequency of the side effect diarrhoea with the lipett C administered twice a day (7 out of 19) was higher than with carbonate tablets administered three or four times a day and similar to that with a previously studied, slower releasing lithium sulphate lipett (7 out of 20). The diarrhoea is probably caused both by the effect of the lithium ion on distal parts of the intestinal canal and by the sulphate ion. The frequency of other side effects was similar with the lipett C and the carbonate tablets. The advantages of the lipett C in the form of dosing twice a day are counteracted by the drawbacks of the rather frequent side effect diarrhoea.