Summary
The mechanism of action of thiouracil and thiourea was investigated on Xenopus tadpoles. Both substances are able to stop metamorphotic changes if administered early enough. Characteristic disturbances occur in the epithelium of the thyroid follicles after only 24 hours. The action of these substances over a period of several weeks may lead to goitre. In the pituitary anterior lobe, on the other hand, the same characteristic changes take place in the basophilic cells as after thyroidectomy. The thyroid structure of hypophysectomised tadpoles corresponds to that of untreated hypophysectomised animals. Thiourea and thiouracil do not inhibit the thyroxine effect on thyroidectomised and hypophysectomised tadpoles. These findings indicate that the point of attack of thiouracil and thiourea lies in the follicular epithelium of the thyroid, and thus supportAstwood's hypothesis.
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References
A. M. Hughes undE. B. Astwood, Endocrinology34, 138 (1944).
E. B. Astwood, J. Sullivan, Adele Bissell undR. Tyslowitz, Endocrinology32, 210 (1943).
I. Abelin, Helv. physiol. acta3, C 31 (1945).
P. Gasche, Helv. physiol. acta2, 607 (1944).
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Gasche, P. Zur Frage des Angriffspunktes des Thiouracil. Experientia 2, 24–26 (1946). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02154705
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02154705