Введение солей лития в утреннюю фазу суток не нарушает естественный ритм выведения катиона из организма. Из исследованных препаратов лития при вечернем назначении только лития оксибутират не изменял суточную динамику концентрации катиона в моче. При утреннем назначении хлорида и аспартата лития анионный компонент солей замедляют выведение Li + с мочой.

Lithium chloride (5 mg/kg i.m. for 10 days in the morning but not in the evening) prevented effectively desynchronization of "reserpine depression" in mice and rats: the spectra and structure of the rhythms of behavioral parameters (open field), body temperature, content of serotonin and its metabolites in the brain and that of glucocorticoids in blood plasma were almost the same as those in intact animals; the circadian harmony of all parameters were correlated in the best manner and their mean circadian values were restored.

Lithium oxybutyrate was studied for effects on the circadian pattern of reserpine-induced depression ("open field") in relation to the time of the drug use. Reserpine given in a single dose of 0.75 mg/kg caused a reduction of diurnal frequencies, inversion of rhythm acrophases, decrease in their mesors and amplitudes. Lithium oxybutyrate given after rhythm acrophases in reserpine-treated animals recovered the lost 24-hour harmonics phase relations between them, but when used before acrophases it did not only fail to prevent the animals from the exhausting action of reserpine, but aggravated the course of depression.

Lithium hydroxybutyrate (10 mg/kg, 10 days) influences circadian temperature and activity rhythms of rats in "open field" and sleep structure according to the time of preparation of the injection (8.30 or 19.30). It was stated that lithium hydroxybutyrate modified circadian rhythms and sleep structure less after morning injections into the rats, while evening administration destabilized circadian rhythms, increased slow-sleep and decreased REM sleep duration.

The chronobiological properties of lithium hydroxybutrate were studied in the open field test at the preventive administration of the drug to rats (7 days, 10 mg/kg daily subcutaneously) kept under natural photoperiod of the summer and winter solstice and CT 12:12. It was found that lithium hydroxybutrate can preserve, reveal the lost rhythms and synchronize the available circadian and infradian rhythms of the activity and body temperature of the rats. The degree and direction of this effect depend on the initial rhythmostasis, the time of the drug administration and the regimen of illumination under which the animals are kept.