THE EFFECT OF DELAYED GASTRIC-EMPTYING AND ABSORPTION ON PHARMACOKINETIC PARAMETERS OF LITHIUM

Gastrointestinal motility is one of the most important factors that ca n influence drug absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. The aim o f the present study was to investigate the effect of delayed gastric e mptying and intestinal transit on pharmacokinetic parameters of lithiu m. Treatment animals were administered an anticholinergic agent (propa ntheline bromide, 4 mg/kg, p.o.) 10 min before lithium chloride (1.5 m M/kg, p.o.) administration, whereas the control group was administered the same dose of lithium p.o., alone. Plasma lithium levels were meas ured by flame spectrophotometry and calculated with a computer program me (SIPHAR). Differences detected in AUG, fractionated AUC values, C-m ax and t(max) suggest that using a delayed absorption process, it is p ossible to prolong by 272% the plateau time of the drug in the therape utic range and this approach might be an alternative way to prevent so me undesirable effects due to peak plasma levels above the maximal the rapeutic level. This approach might be more important as an alternativ e for suitable slow release formulations.