Propylthiouracil

About: Propylthiouracil is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 2181 publications have been published within this topic receiving 46996 citations. The topic is also known as: Thyreostat® & 2,3-dihydro-6-propyl-2-thioxo-4(1H)-pyrimidinone.

Plasmapheresis: An adjunct to medical management of severe hyperthyroidism

Abstract: A woman with hyperthyroidism and myasthenia gravis developed respiratory failure in association with radiation-induced thyroiditis. Treatment with steroids, propylthiouracil, propranolol, iodine, and plasmapheresis was associated with dramatic reduction in serum triiodothyronine (T3), serum thyroxine (T4), and thyroglobulin levels and prompt recovery of the patient. The medications that this patient received have been shown to cause an abrupt decline in serum T3 levels with little or no effect on the serum T4 concentration. The 56% decline in serum T4 observed in this patient during the first 24 hours of therapy suggests that plasmapheresis may be a useful adjunct to medical therapy in selected patients with severe hyperthyroidism.

Secretion of aldosterone by adrenal glands of propylthiouracil-treated rats.

Abstract: Dietary administration of the antithyroid drug, propylthiouracil (PTU), to rats for 20 weeks reduced rate of secretion of aldosterone 26% (mμg/min/adrenal/100 g body wt) to 69% (mμg/min/adrenal) below that of euthyroid controls. Reduction in rate of secretion of aldosterone occurred in association with reduced adrenal blood flow as well as with reduced total pressor activity of kidneys (assumed to be renin). The latter was the result of smaller kidneys of treated rats rather than a reduction of unit concentration of the pressor material. Rate of metabolism of deoxycorticosterone by liver slices of PTU-treated rats (both unit and total activity) was similar to that of euthyroid controls. Hence, reduced rate of secretion of aldosterone by adrenals of PTU-treated rats was apparently not associated with reduced rate of hepatic metabolism of the hormone. Daily administration of 8-10 μg thyroxine/100 g body wt to PTU-treated rats for 2 weeks returned rate of secretion of aldosterone to that of euthyroid control...

Age-dependent different action of curcumin in thyroid of rat.

Abstract: The aging is associated with alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroidal axis which can lead to hypothyreosis. Our previous investigations has shown that polyphenol curcumin can enhance the manifestation of hypothyreosis in rats simultaneous treated with propylthiouracil. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between age-related changes and curcumin action in the thyroid of old rats. To this end, morphometric and radioimmunological methods were used. The study was conducted on 3- and 18-month-old male Wistar rats. The experimental rats were treated daily for 30 days by gavage with 100 mg/kg b.w. of curcumin. There were observed age-related changes in morphology and endocrine function of the thyroid. It was increase in the percentages of large follicles and significant decrease in FT3 level in 18-month-old rats in comparison to 3-month ones. Curcumin treatment lead to significant increase in FT3 and FT4 levels in 3-month-old experimental rats, but the level of FT3 significantly decreased in 18-month-old rats after curcumin administration. Our results show that curcumin activity depends on the functional condition of the rat thyroid which changes with age. This compound exerts stimulatory influence on the secretory function of the thyroid gland in young rats, but has rather weak antithyroid activity in old animals.

Clinical usefulness of thyroid-stimulating antibody measurement using Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing human thyrotropin receptors

Abstract: Human thyrotropin (TSH) receptors were expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells using eukaryotic expression plasmid pCXN2, which contains beta-actin promoter. We measured cAMP stimulation in CHO cells expressing human TSH receptors (CHO-hTSH-R cells) by immunoglobulin G (IgG) of patients with Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and compared the results with a conventional thyroid-stimulating antibody (TS-Ab) assay using porcine thyroid cells and a TSH-binding inhibiting immunoglobulin (TBII) assay. Nineteen untreated patients with Graves' disease, including a case who developed hyperthyroidism after interferon -alpha therapy for chronic hepatitis C, and 13 treated patients with Graves' disease, 10 patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and 8 control subjects were studied. In 19 untreated patients with Graves' disease, 17 patients showed positive CHO-hTSH-R cell stimulation, 11 patients showed positive porcine thyroid cell stimulation and 15 patients showed positive TBII. All the untreated patients showed positive results in at least one assay. Although significantly positive correlations were observed among CHO-hTSH-R cell stimulation, porcine thyroid cell stimulation and TBII activities, the IgG of several patients showed significant discrepancy in the assay results. In a patient with interferon-induced hyperthyroidism only CHO-hTSH-R cell stimulation was positive, while porcine thyroid cell stimulation and TBII were negative. After the treatment with propylthiouracil for 6 months, CHO-hTSH-R cell stimulation became negative. The IgG of patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis did not show significant stimulation of CHO-hTSH-R cells. These results suggest that the CHO-hTSH-R cell stimulation assay is clinically useful for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with Graves' disease.