The influence of lithium on calcium and magnesium homeostasis in serum and tissues of rats.

Lithium is used in medicine. However, its administration can have negative side effects, disturb the water-electrolyte equilibrium and affect the level of essential elements. For these reasons the influence of oral lithium intoxication at the dose of 150 mg Li dm(-3) on magnesium and calcium levels in serum and tissues of rats was investigated. The concentration of Mg and Ca in serum increased throughout the experiment. The concentration of magnesium in tissues decreased after three weeks in liver, kidney, brain and femoral muscle. The trend of the changes of calcium tissue concentration was opposite to the one observed in the case of magnesium.