Effects of lithium deficiency in some insulin-sensitive tissues of diabetic Chinese hamsters

In this work, we report the effect of low-dose lithium carbonate on blood glucose levels and tissue lithium content in hereditary spontaneous diabetic Chinese hamsters (HSDCHs). Hepatic lithium levels are significantly lower in diabetic hamsters when compared to healthy controls: 2.05 +/- 0.26 and 3.04 +/- 0.11 micrograms/g, respectively. The same trend was observed in kidney and muscle: 18.26 +/- 0.24 vs 20.23 +/- 1.10 micrograms/g and 4.66 +/- 0.17 vs 5.95 +/- 0.67 micrograms/g, respectively. The significance level was p < 0.05 in all cases. Supplementation with lithium carbonate eliminated tissue lithium deficiency, and had a normalizing effect on blood glucose and glycosylated serum protein levels. The insulin sensitivity index (ISI) increased, thus reducing insulin resistance. Our results suggest that lithium deficiency in certain insulin-sensitive tissues may be associated with blood glucose imbalance resulting from insulin resistance.