Pre-eclampsia

Eclampsia is an acute rise in blood pressure which progresses to seizures if untreated. It is a significant contributor to maternal mortality, even in developed countries PMID 32980358.

Adenosine decreases blood pressure and stops seizures.

There are two primary treatments for pre-eclampsia: magnesium sulfate IV and hydralazine. Both have known purinergic mechanisms of action: Magnesium sulfate increases the activity of adenylate cyclase PMID 6259515, 3086539: the same enzyme lithium inhibits. Hydralazine has adenosine deaminase activity PMID 7272584, augments adenosine response PMID 2835534.

Since magnesium's mechanism is opposite that of lithium, we would expect a slight pro-mania/anti-depressant effect, and indeed, depression is less common in patients who received MgSO4, an effect dissipating by 6 weeks post-partum PMID 34058422