GLUTATHIONE;

IS IT DEPLETED IN T-CELLS AND B-CELLS WHEN LITHIUM COMPOUNDS ARE USED AS DRUG OF CHOICE IN MANY PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS?

Abstract

Background: Compounds of lithium are used as drug of choice in many psychiatric disorders including bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia etc. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of lithium on lymphocyte’s GSH levels for which terasaki technique was used to separate T-cells and B-cells of human volunteer’s venous blood. Study Design: Experimental Study. Setting: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan.Period:1st December 2012 to 26 February 2013.Statistical Analysis: One-way ANOVA followed by Dunnet’s HSD test. Results: Thiol quantification was done by using Ellman’s method and was found statistically significant (p < 0.001) decrease in T-cells/B-cells GSH level which was dose and time dependent. T-cells/B-cells dose dependent drop in GSH level was 2.752μM (9.41%) and 2.554 μM (16.12%) by lowest used concentration (0.003μM) of lithium citrate. Conclusion: We have noted that there is significant drop in T-cells and B-cells GSH due to which immunological alterations happen which are linked with GSH contents of lymphocytes and hence inhibition in lymphocytes activity is co-related with depletion in GSH level of these cells which ultimately with the increase in Li+1 concentration cause further decrease in GSH level leading to cells death.