title: Features of the comparative pharmacokinetics of lithium; a potential application of its use in livestock farming.
abstract: Lithium is used in man for the treatment and prevention of manic depressive psychoses. The collective use of lithium was proposed in intensive livestock farming in order to reduce stress and aggressive behaviour. This objective was thwarted by the pharmacokinetic properties of lithium: slow intracerebral penetration, narrow therapeutic index, high individual variability plus unpleasant secondary effects. The neuroprotective and neurotrophic properties of lithium recently discovered could create renewed interest in lithium in livestock farming for neurodegenerative diseases such as sub-acute transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). With this in mind, prior pharmacokinetic tests are proposed on mink and cattle.
authors.affiliation: rue Jules Guesde, Lys-Lez-Lannoy, France.
authors.forename: J-M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ledoux
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008907:Mink; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017096:Prion Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D008094:Lithium