Thyroid hormones

Dr. Sujith S
Synthesis
Thyroid hormones
 Physiological actions

• On Metabolism
– Increase metabolic activities by 60-100% above normal
– Accelerates rate of utilisation of foods for energy
– Mitochondriae swell in size and increase in number
– Increases Na-K ATPase and thus increase heat production
• Growth & Development
– Needed for actual growth of the individual
– Needed for differentiation of tissues

• Feathers, Skin & Hair

– Needed for molting of feathers
– Regeneration of feathers after molt requires
thyroxine
• Reproduction
– Weak or dead young ones
– Abortion, still birth or live birth of weak young ones
– Delayed puberty, irregular estrus or anestrus
– Women- Menorrhagia or poly menorrhoea
– Amenorrhoea
– Galactopoietic agent- Iodinated casein is used as a galactopoietic
• Muscular System
– Rapid metabolism of muscle protein and impaired
creatinine production

• Carbohydrate metabolism
– Increase glucose uptake by cells
– Enhanced glycolysis, gluconeogenesis
– Increased rate of absorption from GI tract
• Fat metabolism
– Rapidly mobilise lipids from tissues, decrease fat
store of the body
– Inccrease level of fatty acids to be oxidised
• On CVS
– Increase blood flow, cardiac output, metabolism
and oxygen demand, vasodilation, heart rate,
heart strength
 Thyroid replacement therapy

• Crude thyroid products

– From thyroid of sheep, hog and cattle

– Defective T4:T3 ratio

• Synthetic L-thyroxine
– Contains T4, acts as a prohormone
– Do 5’deiodination to maintain T3

– Dose : 0.02-0.04 mg/kg, every 24 hrs or 0.5 mg/m 2

• Synthetic L- triiodothyronine
– It is less preferred
– No intrinsic thymomimetic activity
– Will not clear T3 deficiency, so deficiency for brain
& pituitary
 Thyroid inhibitors

• Those that inhibit hormone synthesis

– Thioureylenes: Propyl thiouracil, Methimazole, Carbimazole

• Inhibit Iodide trapping: Thiocyanates, Perchlorates,

Nitrates
• Inhibit hormone Release: Iodine, Iodides of Na & K,

Organic Iodides
• Destroy thyroid tissue: Radio active Iodine
 Thioureylenes

• Inhibit organification and iodination/ coupling steps

– Block incorporation of iodine to tyrosyl group of
thyroglobulin
– Prevent coupling of iodotyrosyl groups
– Directly interact with thyroglobulin molecule
• Propyl thio uracil
– Cause anorexia, lethargy, vomiting, auto immune
haemolytic anaemia

• Methemazole
– Drug is concentrated in thyroid for about 20 hrs
– Can also cause leukopenia, agranulocytosis,
eiosinophilia, lymphocytosis etc.
• Carbimazole
– Used in case of felines
 Drugs inhibiting Iodide trapping

• Plants of genus Brassica contain goitrin

• Plants like broccoli- Glucosinolates
– Converted to thiocyanates

• SCN, ClO4,NO3 inhibit iodide trapping by thyroid due to similar

ionic size
• SCN Cause liver, kidney, bone marrow and brain toxicity
• ClO4 cause aplastic anaemia and agranulocytosis
 Inhibiting hormone release
• Excess of Iodine leads to thyroid constipation
• All facets of Thyroxine release is affected
• Inhibit hormone release
• Excess iodine inhibits its own transport to
tissues
• IPODATE, radiocontrast material used to treat
hyperthyroidism in cats.
 Drugs destroying thyroid

• Radio active Iodines

• X-rays emitted are diagnostic

• β rays are used to destroy thyroid

• 131 I enters the colloid and emits radiation from thyroid

follicle.
• Affected cells under go pyknosis, necrosis, fibrosis w/o
affecting neighbouring tissues
 Use of Antithyroid drugs

• Definitive therapy
– Remission occur in 2-3 yrs
– If symptoms reccur, reinstate the drug
• Perioperatively, carbimazole can be used
• Along with 131I, use drugs
– Drugs for two weeks, the 131I, after a week,
reinstate therapy and with draw drug by 3 months