Effects of Rubidium Chloride on the Course of Manic-Depressive Illness

Clinical studies of the effects of rubidium ions on the course of manic-depressive illness are reported. It seems that rubidium tends to increase the length of manic phases and possibly reduces the extremes of mood. Rubidium did not seem to produce any severe side effects in the dose administered, but it has a long biological half-life and caution is still required. Some details of the CSF, RBC, saliva and plasma and urine kinetics are also reported.

Treatment of bilateral choroidal malignant melanoma

A history is presented of a 40-year-old male patient suffering from bilateral choroidal melanoma. Both eyes were treated with 106Ru/106Rh beta-irradiation. 2 years later one eye was enucleated because of radiogenic central vein thrombosis with secondary glaucoma. Histologically the tumor cells showed radiogenic damages and there were no signs of a new tumor growth. The other eye, however, is still functioning 6 years later with a visual acuity of 1.0.

Manufacture of strontium-82/rubidium-82 generators and quality control of rubidium-82 chloride for myocardial perfusion imaging in patients using positron emission tomography

We describe a protocol to manufacture 82Sr/82Rb generators and 82RbCl for myocardial imaging with PET. The generators are manufactured in 3 stages: (1) preparation of a tin oxide column, (2) leak test of the generator column and (3) loading of the generator with 82Sr. The generators produced sterile and non-pyrogenic 82RbCl for i.v. injection. No significant 82Sr/85Sr breakthroughs were observed after elution with 20 1 of saline. The automated system delivered human doses of 82RbCl accurately.

[The pharmacological action of rubidium chloride in depression]

In the last few years antidepressant activity or Rubidium chloride has risen new interest. The drugs develops his action on dopaminergic stimulation reducing the depressive pattern. Fifteen depressed inpatients were studied for three weeks treated with Rubidium chloride (540 mg/day) and periodically monitored after hospitalization. Speed therapeutic efficacy has been shown, with lack of side effects. The results are discussed.

[Rubidium chloride in the treatment of major depression]

The present study evaluated 20 patients (18 females and 2 males: mean age 55 +/- 8.8 years) suffering from major depression who had been treated with 360/720 mg/die rubidium chloride for 60 days. A gradual and significant improvement in depressive symptoms (HDRS and Zung Scale) and anxiety (Stai X1 and HamARS) was reported. Serum levels were not correlated to clinical improvement. Slight adverse effects were also observed (diarrhea and skin rashes). Rubidium chloride showed a marked and rapid anti-depressive action which was particularly evident in relation to mood, anti-conservative ideas, work, occupational interests and psychomotory slowing-down. It is clear that these symptoms represent the most important aspects of the polymorphous depressive syndrome and, in some ways, this improvement should be interpreted as the effective influence of the drug on the biological contest of mood changes.

Effect of rubidium on the course of illness and the circadian rectal temperature in a 66-year-old depressive woman

Rubidium (Rb+) has an antidepressive effect and shortens the circadian period in animals, whereas Li+, another alcalic metal, lengthens it. When we treated a depressive Li+ nonresponder with Rb+, we found an improvement of depression as well as a phase advance of the temperature rhythm in relation to the rest-activity rhythm.

Exploration of the clinical profile of rubidium chloride in depression: a systematic open trial

Thirty-one female inpatient depressives underwent a systematic open trial with rubidium chloride, 180 to 720 mg/day. By week 2, at least two-thirds had improved significantly (p less than 0.01) as measured by standard rating instruments such as the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and the Hamilton Depression Scale. Regression analysis suggested that the retarded endogenous pattern was most predictive of positive response. Treatment-emergent symptomatology, such as diarrhea, polyuria, and excitement, was generally mild and rarely necessitated interruption of the trial. The authors conclude that this salt has shown sufficient clinical promise to warrant more extensive trials under double-blind conditions.

Neuropsychiatric aspects of trace elements

Our knowledge of trace element metabolism has increased dramatically in the last decade. It now seems likely that many trace elements are of significance either as causative or therapeutic factors in a wide range of illnesses. Several of the most topical elements are discussed here in relation to neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Rubidium in psychiatry: research implications

A brief overview of the use of rubidium in affective disorders and schizophrenia is presented. Although antidepressant action of rubidium has not been supported by adequate number of controlled studies, its potential contribution to psychiatry warrants further investigations. Endogenous rubidium may be a useful research tool in the future psychopharmacological studies of affective disorders.

The high pH therapy for cancer tests on mice and humans

Mass spectrographic and isotope studies have shown that potassium, rubidium, and especially cesium are most efficiently taken up by cancer cells. This uptake was enhanced by Vitamins A and C as well as salts of zinc and selenium. The quantity of cesium taken up was sufficient to raise the cell to the 8 pH range. Where cell mitosis ceases and the life of the cell is short. Tests on mice fed cesium and rubidium showed marked shrinkage in the tumor masses within 2 weeks. In addition, the mice showed none of the side effects of cancer. Tests have been carried out on over 30 humans. In each case the tumor masses disappeared. Also all pains and effects associated with cancer disappeared within 12 to 36 hr; the more chemotherapy and morphine the patient had taken, the longer the withdrawal period. Studies of the food intake in areas where the incidences of cancer are very low showed that it met the requirements for the high pH therapy.

Results of 106Ru/Rh-radiation of choroidal melanomas

The results of 106Ru/Rh-irradiation in 42 eyes with choroidal melanomas from 1980 to 1983 are reviewed. Indication for this treatment is a tumor size of 1 to 6 mm prominence and maximum extension of 18 mm (12 diameter papillae). In 24 cases a total regression ("grey mouse") was found after an observation time of 12 to 36 months. In nine cases a second irradiation was performed, in four cases an additional photocoagulation. One patient with an advanced tumor (11 mm prominent, single eye) died one year after treatment.

Electrolyte metabolism in patients with periodic affective disorders during treatment with rubidium

Five patients suffering from periodic affective disorders with short mood-cycles were treated with rubidium chloride, producing peak erythrocyte concentrations between 9 and 13 mmol/l. Loading with rubidium was associated with decreased total body potassium, but red-cell potassium was unchanged. Regular mood-cycling was disturbed, together with the associated body-weight changes. There was a slight extracellular "metabolic" acidosis. Electrolyte concentrations fluctuate abnormally in these patients, and two muscle biopsy specimens had very low potassium contents.

Evidence of brain dopamine deficiency in schizophrenia

It is proposed that the increased dopamine function suggested by the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia is a dopaminergic postsynaptic receptor supersensitivity resulting from a dopamine deficiency. In support of this, three double-blind controlled studies conducted on drugs which alter brain dopaminergic activity in a manner different from that of classic neuroleptics are reported. 1) alpha-methyldopa-neuroleptic interaction proved efficacious for schizophrenic positive symptoms but only on a short-term basis. 2) Rubidium improved negative symptoms rapidly, and in contrast has a late onset of action on positive symptoms of schizophrenia. 3) Tryptophan-benserazide was efficacious in controlling both negative and positive symptoms of schizophrenia (although less so than chlorpromazine). It is concluded that currently accepted modes of pharmacological therapy (classical neuroleptics) are in the short-term controlling the dopamine supersensitivity secondary to a deficiency, but contributing in the long-term to increase the dopamine deficiency, and so exacerbate the supersensitivity. More effective forms of treatment may involve the use of agents which alter dopamine activity without inducing dopamine supersensitivity.

Urinary dicarboxylic acids in patients receiving lithium or rubidium salts

Lithium salts administered in therapeutic doses to four subjects who were kept on controlled diets increased up to fivefold the urinary output of some dicarboxylic acids. Some of the acids affected are intermediates in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, others are chemically similar but not directly related in metabolic terms. This is probably a direct effect on renal transport. Rubidium salts increased urinary 2-oxoglutarate output and blood 2-oxoglutarate levels, probably by some action on intermediary metabolism.

Nerve fibre refractory period in patients treated with rubidium and lithium

Nerve fibre refractory period distributions have been measured on the median nerves of six manic-depressive patients controlled with lithium carbonate, three chronic patients (two manic-depressives and one catatonic schizophrenic) controlled with rubidium chloride, and eight normal volunteers. Rubidium prolonged the refractory periods of all nerve fibres while lithium increased only the longer refractory periods.

Rubidium and lithium: opposite effects on amine-mediated excitement

In mice the activation caused by morphine was antagonized by previous treatment with lithium and was potentiated by previous treatment with rubidium. Other antimanic drugs antagonized the morphine activation as well. The effect of rubidium was similar to that of the antidepressant drugs imipramine and pargyline. Rubidium may merit clinical evaluation as an antidepressant agent in man.