Lithium carbonate and L-tryptophan in the treatment of bipolar and schizoaffective disorders.
The authors review theoretical and clinical data supporting the hypothesis that L-tryptophan may potentiate the effects of lithium carbonate and report on a double-blind clinical comparison of lithium plus L-tryptophan and lithium plus placebo in 9 bipolar and 7 schizoaffective patients. Overall the combination of lithium and L-tryptophan resulted in significantly greater improvement. However, the results may have been confounded by the greater, although nonsignificant, doses of neuroleptics administered to the group receiving L-tryptophan. The authors discuss the interactions of lithium and L-trypotophan with the serotonin system.
D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D014364:Tryptophan; D008094:Lithium