Lithium Citrate

Despite the worldwide importance of disease complexes involving root-feeding nematodes and soilborne fungi, there have been few in-depth studies on how these organisms interact at the molecular level. Previous studies of guava decline have shown that root exudates from Meloidogyne enterolobii-parasitized guava plants (NP plants), but not from nematode-free plants (NF plants), enable the fungus Neocosmospora falciformis to rot guava roots, leading to plant death. To further characterize this interaction, NP and NF root exudates were lyophilized; extracted with distinct solvents; quantified regarding amino acids, soluble carbohydrates, sucrose, phenols, and alkaloids; and submitted to a bioassay to determine their ability to enable N. falciformis to rot the guava seedlings’ roots. NP root exudates were richer than NF root exudates in amino acids, carbohydrates, and sucrose. Only the fractions NP-03 and NP-04 enabled fungal root rotting. NP-03 was then sequentially fractionated through chromatographic silica columns. At each step, the main fractions were reassessed in bioassay. The final fraction that enabled fungal root rotting was submitted to analysis using high performance liquid chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence, and computational calculations, leading to the identification of 1,5-dinitrobiuret as the predominant substance. In conclusion, parasitism by M. enterolobii causes an enrichment of guava root exudates that likely favors microorganisms capable of producing 1,5-dinitrobiuret in the rhizosphere. The accumulation of biuret, a known phytotoxic substance, possibly hampers root physiology and the innate immunity of guava to N. falciformis.

The paper presents a study on the influence of different lithium carbonate and lithium citrate concentration on proteolytic enzymes, namely pepsin and trypsin, in vitro. Lithium can directly affect enzyme activity. Its influence on many bodily functions in both ill and healthy people has been proven.

To assess the influence of Li⁺ ions concentration and the substrate/enzyme ratio on pepsin and trypsin activity in vitro, 60 factorial experiments were conducted (each repeated 30 times).

For both enzymes, statistically significant changes in their activity under the influence of lihium carbonate and lithium citrate were observed. The biggest increase in enzyme activity reached even 198.6 % and the largest decrease in enzyme activity reached about 50 %.

The study shows that both organic and inorganic forms of lithium salts cause changes in the activity of digestive enzymes. Different concentrations of lithium carbonate and lithium citrate stimulate or inhibit the activity of trypsin and pepsin.