title: Minor contribution of biliary excretion in lithium elimination in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lithium, which is often used for the treatment of bipolar disorders, is mainly recovered into urine after being orally administered. Due to the fact that it is completely absorbed via the gastrointestinal tract, it remains unknown whether biliary excretion is involved in the lithium disposition. In this study, we examined biliary excretion of lithium in rats and compared these with renal excretion.
  
  
  METHODS
  After the injection of lithium chloride to femoral vein, plasma levels and excretion into urine and bile of lithium were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After its intravenous administration as a bolus, the plasma concentration of lithium decreased time-dependently. Until 60 min, 6.47% and 0.694% of injected lithium were excreted into urine and bile, respectively. The biliary clearance of lithium was calculated to be 0.0779 mL/min/kg, and this was 11.3% of the renal clearance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest the low ability of the liver to eliminate lithium from plasma in comparison with the kidney in rats.
authors: Yuichi
authors: Y
authors: Uwai
authors: Tatsuya
authors: T
authors: Kawasaki
authors: Tomohiro
authors: T
authors: Nabekura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000652:urine; D065669:Hepatobiliary Elimination / Q000502:physiology*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D018021:Lithium Chloride / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D065667:Renal Elimination / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018692:Antimanic Agents; D018021:Lithium Chloride