Selenium prevents lithium accumulation and does not disturb basic microelement homeostasis in liver and kidney of...

Lithium has been used in medicine for almost seventy years. Besides beneficial effects, its therapy may cause serious side-effects, with kidney and liver being the organs most vulnerable to its harmful influence. Therefore, research on protective agents against lithium toxicity has been continuing for some time.

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the influence of additional selenium supplementation on lithium content, as well as homeostasis of the essential microelements iron, zinc, copper and manganese in kidney and liver of rats undergoing lithium exposure.

The study was performed on 4 groups of male Wistar rats (6 animals each) treated with: control - saline; Li-group - Li₂CO₃ at a dose of 2.7 mg Li/kg b.w.; Se-group - Na₂SeO₃ at a dose of 0.5 mg Se/kg b.w.; Li+Se-group - both Li₂CO₃ and Na₂SeO₃ at doses of 2.7 mg Li/kg b.w. and of 0.5 mg Se/kg b.w., respectively, in the form of water solutions by stomach tube, once a day for 3 weeks. The content of the studied elements in the organ samples was determined using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS).

Lithium administered alone caused a significant increase in its content in liver and kidney. Additional supplementation with selenium reversed these effects, and did not markedly affect other studied microelements compared to control.

The obtained results suggest that selenium could be regarded as an adjuvant into lithium therapy. However, considering the limitations of the present study (the short duration, using only one dose and form of selenium) the continuation of the research seems to be necessary to clarify the influence of selenium supplementation on basic microelements and lithium accumulation in organs during lithium exposure.