HEPATIC AND CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID ACCUMULATION OF ALUMINUM AND BISMUTH IN VOLUNTEERS TAKING SHORT-COURSE ANTIULCER THERAPY

To investigate the possible absorption and deposition of bismuth or al uminium from agents used in the treatment of peptic ulcers, we have me asured levels of bismuth and aluminium in the liver tissue of 15 patie nts undergoing elective liver biopsy and in the cerebrospinal fluid (C SF) of 15 patients undergoing elective myelography after administratio n of standard therapeutic doses of tripotassium dicitrato bismuthate ( TBS), sucralfate or aluminium hydroxide for I month. Aliquots of liver or CSF were separated and levels of both aluminium and bismuth were a ssayed in each sample by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The grou p who received TBS had significantly higher liver bismuth levels than the other two treatment groups, but there was no significant differenc e in CSF bismuth levels among the three groups. There was no significa nt difference in either liver or CSF aluminium levels among the three treatment groups. We conclude that tissue accumulation of bismuth may occur after short-course therapy with colloidal bismuth, although ther e is no evidence of CNS accumulation of bismuth in the present study.