Disturbances in Pituitary-Thyroid Axis Hormones in Rats Exposed to CCL4 and/ or Gamma-Irradiation

Document Type : Original Article

Abstract

 THIS WORK aims to detect the disturbances in hormones of pituitary-thyroid axis in male rats exposed to liver injury by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and/ or γ-irradiation, as well as modulating these disturbances by supplementation of hepato-protective agent, silymarin-plus (S+). Subcutaneous injection of CCl4, as a hepatotoxic agent, 1 ml/ Kg body wt two times/ week for 3 weeks alone or combined with 6Gy fractionated doses of whole body γ-irradiation (1Gy two times/ week for 3 weeks) induced hepato-toxicity as manifested biochemically by an elevation of liver marker enzymes; transaminases (ALT & AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP).
Oxidative stress in liver was evidenced by a significant increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) along with reduction of glutathione (GSH) content. Liver damage induced by CCl
4 and/or γ-irradiation was accompanied by a significant decrease in the levels of serum triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxin (T4), while thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) showed a significant increase. In addition, significant increases were recorded in total cholesterol and triglycerides levels whereas; significant decrease was recorded in glucose level in group exposed to CCl4 and γ-irradiation. Oral supplementation of S+ ameliorated the changes induced by exposure to CCl4 and/ or γ-irradiation.
In conclusion, the present data demonstrated that exposure to chemical as well as physical environmental biohazards induced liver injury concomitant with a hypothyroid state. This disturbance can be modulated by supplementation of hepato-protective agent.

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