SOURCES:
Soil, rocks, vegetation, water, contrast agent for PET scans, atomic clocks, photoelectric cells, magnetometers, GPS systems, fireworks.
NUTRIENT INTERACTIONS:
Rubidium resembles potassium, and these two elements are metabolically interchangeable.
PHYSIOLOGIC EFFECTS:
Rb is rapidly and completely absorbed by the GI tract when ingested and is excreted mainly through the kidneys. Urinary excretion is consistent with a 50-day half-life. Physiologically, rubidium most resembles potassium, and these two elements are metabolically interchangeable. In the myocardium it is an active participant in the NA/K pump. Rubidium and lithium are often studied for CNS dysfunctions including mania and depression, and may work through the NMDA/nitrergic pathways.
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
Rb chloride was used historically to treat cardiac issues, syphilis, epilepsy and more recently has been studied for depression. Excess rubidium chloride was associated with weight gain, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, polyuria, confusion, excitement/agitation and dermatitis. In rats, rubidium chloride administration led to hypokalemia.
References:
Kot FS. On the rubidium and lithium content and availability in the sub-arid south-eastern Mediterranean: potential health implications. Environ Geochem Health. 2018;40(5):1841-1851.
EPA. Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values for Rubidium Compounds 2016.
Fieve RR, Jamison KR. Rubidium: overview and clinical perspectives. In: Non-Tricyclic and Non-Monoamine-Oxidase Inhibitors. Vol 18. Karger Publishers; 1982:145-163.
Fieve RR, Meltzer HL, Taylor RM. Rubidium chloride ingestion by volunteer subjects: initial experience. Psychopharmacologia. 1971;20(4):307-314.
Rahimi N, Hassanipour M, Yarmohammadi F, et al. Nitric oxide and glutamate are contributors of anti-seizure activity of rubidium chloride: A comparison with lithium. Neurosci Lett. 2019;708:134349.
Paschalis C, Jenner F, Lee C. Effects of rubidium chloride on the course of manic-depressive illness. J Royal Soc Med. 1978;71(5):343-352.
Beck FX, Dörge A, Giebisch G, Thurau K. Studies on the mechanism of rubidium-induced kaliuresis. Kidney Int. 1989;36(2):175-182.
Rubidium
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