The Influence of Lithium and/or Selenium Treatment on Homeostasis of Chosen Bioelements in Rats

Abstract

Lithium is widely used in medicine and the therapy is often long term. Apart from beneficial effects, its application can cause diverse side effects. The current study was performed with the aim of the evaluation of the effect of lithium and/or selenium administration on magnesium, calcium and silicon levels in rats. The study was performed on rats divided into four groups (six animals each): control—received saline, Li—received Li2CO3 (2.7 mg Li/kg b.w.), Se—received Na2SeO3·H2O (0.5 mg Se/kg b.w.), and Li+Se—received simultaneously Li2CO3 and Na2SeO3·H2O (2.7 and 0.5 mg Se/kg b.w.). The administration was performed in form of water solutions by a stomach tube once a day for 6 weeks. In the organs (liver, kidney, brain, spleen, heart, lung and femoral muscle), the concentrations of magnesium, calcium and silicon were determined. Lithium significantly increased Ca in the kidney, brain and spleen. Coadministration of selenium reversed this effect. No changes of magnesium in organs were observed. Silicon was affected only in spleen—an increase vs. control was observed in all studied groups. The beneficial influence of coadministration of selenium in case of calcium lets us suggest that an issue of its possible use as an adjuvant alleviating side effects in lithium-treated subjects is worth being continued.

Homeostasis of chosen microelements in liver of rats receiving lithium and/or selenium orally

“…Previous studies by the authors of the current study revealed the influence of treatment with lithium carbonate on calcium [13]. The presented study was extended to investigate the effect of lithium on the essential microelements.…”

“…Additionally: 1) selenium has already been revealed to show protective action against side effects of some drugs [11]; 2) the search for protective agents against lithium toxicity has been already performed and some antioxidants have been found to be effective [9,12]. Previous studies by the authors have shown that selenium application could change the effects of lithium on bioelements homeostasis in the organism [13]. Therefore, the research was extended to study the effect of simultaneous treatment with selenium and lithium on chosen microelements homeostasis.…”

miR-2954 Inhibits PI3K Signaling and Induces Autophagy and Apoptosis in Myocardium Selenium Deficiency

“…Selenium is incorporated into proteins via the rare amino acid selenocysteine (Sec), and this incorporation occurs during that protein translation [14,15]. Selenium and selenoproteins may participate extensively in key biological processes, such as protein folding, cellular differentiation, cellular response to oxidative stress, and the immune response.…”