Effects of lithium on oxidative stress parameters in healthy subjects.
Increased neuronal oxidative stress (OxS) induces deleterious effects on signal transduction, structural plasticity and cellular resilience, mainly by inducing lipid peroxidation in membranes, proteins and genes. Major markers of OxS levels include the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and the enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase. Lithium has been shown to prevent and/or reverse DNA damage, free-radical formation and lipid peroxidation in diverse models. This study evaluates OxS parameters in healthy volunteers prior to and following lithium treatment. Healthy volunteers were treated with lithium in therapeutic doses for 2-4 weeks. Treatment with lithium in healthy volunteers selectively altered SOD levels in all subjects. Furthermore, a significant decrease in the SOD/CAT ratio was observed following lithium treatment, which was associated with decreased OxS by lowering hydrogen peroxide levels. This reduction in the SOD/CAT ratio may lead to lower OxS, indicated primarily by a decrease in the concentration of cell hydrogen peroxide. Overall, the present findings indicate a potential role for the antioxidant effects of lithium in healthy subjects, supporting its neuroprotective profile in bipolar disorder (BD) and, possibly, in neurodegenerative processes.
Experimental Therapeutics, Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program,                     National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda,                     MD 20892, USA.
Rushaniya
R
Khairova
Rohit
R
Pawar
Giacomo
G
Salvadore
Mario F
MF
Juruena
Rafael T
RT
de Sousa
Márcio G
MG
Soeiro-de-Souza
Mirian
M
Salvador
Carlos A
CA
Zarate
Wagner F
WF
Gattaz
Rodrigo
R
Machado-Vieira
D000328:Adult; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D008094:Lithium; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase