Lithium Assay Kit (Colorimetric) (ab235613) is designed for the quantification of lithium levels in biological fluids such
as serum and plasma.
The assay uses a lithium-selective bi-chromatic probe that undergoes an absorbance change at two distinct
wavelengths upon binding to Li (λ = 540 nm, λ = 630 nm). The ratio of the two optical measurements is used to
accurately calculate sample Li concentration. The kit also includes a sodium masking reagent to prevent the
possibility of interference by supra-physiological levels of serum Na (hypernatremia). Endogenous mono-, di-, and
trivalent ions do not interfere with the assay.
The assay is quick, is high-throughput adaptable and has a linear range from 0.5 – 10 nmole lithium per well
(corresponding to 0.1 – 2 mM serum lithium). The kit can detect lithium concentration as low as 100 μM in human
serum.
This product is manufactured by BioVision, an Abcam company and was previously called K545 Lithium Assay Kit
(Colorimetric). K545-100 is the same size as the 100 test size of ab235613.
Lithium, the lightest alkali metal element, is a ductile, reactive metal that occurs in nature as the Li cation and is
found in various mineral compounds. Physiologically, lithium is present only in trace levels and is not considered to
be an essential dietary nutrient. However, lithium is routinely used in medicine as psychoactive drug. Lithium acts as
a mood stabilized and is considered to be the gold standard first-line treatment for bipolar depression and acute
mania. Patients treated with lithium are less likely to require hospitalization or complete suicide than patients treated
with other mood stabilizers or antipsychotics. Chemically, lithium is the simplest possible drug - as an element, it is
not metabolized by the body and has zero-order renal elimination kinetics. Lithium has a narrow therapeutic/toxic
ratio and requires blood level monitoring, both to ensure efficacy and decrease the risk of toxic side-effects. The
target serum concentration for lithium maintenance therapy ranges from 0.6-1.2 mM. At serum levels ≥1.5 mM there
is a sharp increase in severe adverse effects. Overt, potentially fatal side effects (such as seizures, ataxia and loss of
consciousness) are observed at serum levels > 2.5 mM.
