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

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 (FT3) and free T-4 (FT4) were 121.7+/-32.7 ng/dl, 1.81+/-0.60 mu g/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 mu g/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+/-19.2 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, FT3 and FT4 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).