Effects of Propylthiouracil-Induced Hypothyroidism on Plasma Lipid Table in Rabbits

Authors: İSMAİL ÇELİK, VEDAT TÜRKOĞLU, EŞREF YEĞİN

Abstract: Hypothyroidism is commonly associated with hyperlipidemia. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Propylthiouracil-induced hypothyroidism on the plasma lipid profile in rabbits. This investigation was performed on male, white New Zealand ( Oryctolagus cuniculus huxley) rabbits. Twenty rabbits were used; each of the two groups (hypothyroidism and control) consisted of ten animals. Hypothyroidism was induced by oral administration of Propylthiouracil 50 mg.kg -1 for three weeks. The mean values of Triiodothyronine (T 3 ), thyroxine (T 4 ), free T 3 (FT 3 ) and free T 4 (FT 4 ) were 121.7±32.7 ng/d1, 1.81±0.60 µg/dl, 2.36±9b92 ng/dl and 0.43±0.22 p mol/dl in the control group, and 88.4±19.2 ng/dl, 1.15±0.37 µg/dl, 1.48±0.44 ng/dl and 0.18±0.11p mol/dl in the hypothyroidism group, respectively (p<0.05 for all). Levels of total plasma triglyseride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), total cholesterol (TC) and apolipoprotein-B (Apo-B) were recorded as 44.2±8.57, 12.2±2.7, 40.4±14.9 and 87.2±15.2 mg.dl -1 in the control group, and 97.9±29.8, 23.2±2.9, 67.2±13.5 and 147.4±55.7 mg.dl -1 in the hypothyroidism group, respectively (p<0.001 for all parameters). The results showed that T 3 , T 4 , FT 3 and FT 4 decreased in the hypothyroidism group, but lipid fractions were higher than in the control group. In addition, a significant negative correlation was found between T 4 -TC (r=-0.739, p<0.05) and T 4 -Apo-B (r=-0.666, p<0.05). We concluded that lipids may be an indicator for hypothyroidism, but that thyroid hormones are better indicators that lipids.

Keywords: Hypothyroidism, lipid, rabbit.

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