title: The effects of lamotrigine on the pharmacokinetics of lithium.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The treatment of bipolar disorder often includes use of multiple drug therapies. Lithium is one of the most commonly used treatments, but has a narrow therapeutic window. Lamotrigine, an established antiepileptic drug, is emerging as a potentially important new therapy in the treatment of bipolar disorder. The objective of this two-treatment crossover study was to determine whether lamotrigine affects lithium pharmacokinetics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty healthy adult men completed the study. Subjects took 2 g lithium gluconate anhydrous every 12 h in the morning and evening for 5 days and in the morning of day 6, with or without 100 mg lamotrigine once daily in the morning for 6 days. Blood and urine samples were collected on day 6 of both treatments to characterize the pharmacokinetics of lithium using noncompartmental methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The geometric least-square mean ratio for renal clearance of lithium between the combination treatment and lithium alone treatment was 0.93 (95% confidence interval 0.85-1.02). Both treatments were well tolerated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lamotrigine does not cause significant change in the pharmacokinetics of lithium.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Glaxo Wellcome Research & Development, Greenford, Middlesex, UK. cc43624@glaxowellcome.co.uk
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Veronese
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019540:Area Under Curve; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D008094:Lithium / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D014227:Triazines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D018692:Antimanic Agents; D014227:Triazines; D008094:Lithium; D000077213:Lamotrigine