lithium orotate

Lithium orotate

Lithium orotate (C5H3LiN2O4) is a salt of orotic acid and lithium. It is marketed as a dietary supplement, and was studied between 1973 and 1986 as a treatment for medical conditions such as alcoholism and Alzheimer's disease. It is available as the monohydrate, LiC5H3N2O4·H2O. In this compound, lithium is non-covalently bound to an orotate ion, rather than to a carbonate or other ion, and like other salts, dissolves in solution to produce free lithium ions. While lithium orotate is capable of providing lithium to the body, like lithium carbonate and other lithium salts, no systematic reviews support the efficacy of lithium orotate and it is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of any medical condition.