title: Lithium: short-term and chronic effects on plasma testosterone and luteinizing hormone concentrations in mice.
abstract: The effects of short-term and chronic lithium administration on the concentrations of plasma testosterone (T) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were evaluated in C57BL/6 mice, maintained on a fixed photoperiod of LD 14:10 (white lights on at 06:00 h, CST). Lithium chloride was injected intraperitoneally twice daily (at 09:00 and 16:00 h) in groups of adult male mice at a dosage of 2.5 meq/kg for 7 days, and 1.25 meg/kg for 21 days. Circulating levels of T and LH were measured by standard radioimmunoassay (RIA) methods. Plasma T levels showed a significant increase in mice treated with lithium for 7 days as compared to those in saline-injected control animals. However, there was no significant difference in the concentrations of plasma T between chronic (21 days) lithium-treated mice and the matched control. Plasma LH levels remained unchanged following both short-term and chronic lithium treatment.
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D008094:Lithium