Inhibition by lithium of prostaglandin E₁ and norepinephrine effects on cyclic adenosine monophosphate production in human platelets

Abstract

Prostaglandin E 1 (PGE 1 )‐stimulated cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP) production in human platelets is inhibited during treatment with lithium carbonate under ordinary clinical conditions. In acute experiments in vitro, greater concentrations of lithium chloride are required to produce a similar inhibition of PGE 1 ‐stimulated cyclic AMP production. Antagonism by norepinephrine of the PGE 1 stimulation effect on cyclic AMP production is also inhibited by lithium in vivo and in vitro. It is suggested that these and possibly other hormonal blocking effects of lithium may be relevant to its antimanic efficacy and to other clinical effects of this drug.