Effect of lithium carbonate on the functional state and the enzymatic equipment of neutrophils in patients with granulocytopenia.

Administration of lithium carbonate, 750 mg daily, during 10 days to 25 patients with essential granulocytopenia, induced an increase of the total leukocyte count, of the absolute count of neutrophils and of the number of neutrophils phagocytizing Staphylococcus aureus Oxford in vitro. An enhancement of acid phosphatase activity in the neutrophils was noted both in the patients and the healthy subjects in the control group. In the patients, the counts of neutrophils exhibiting a positive enzymatic reaction with regard to beta-glucuronidase, myeloperoxidase and alkaline phosphatase were also increased after treatment with lithium carbonate. Based on these results, the authors recommend the clinical application of this treatment in patients with granulocytopenia.