Comparative effect of Citrus sinensis and carbimazole on serum T(4), T(3) and TSH levels

BACKGROUND: There are previous independent reports on the anti-thyroid property of Citrus sinensis. This isoflavones and phenolic acid-rich natural agent is widely consumed as dietary supplement, thus the need to investigate its comparative effect with a standard anti-thyroid drug on T(4), T(3) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of Citrus sinensis and carbimazole (CARB) on blood levels of thyroid hormones (T(4) and T(3)) and TSH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male wistar albino rats weighing 100-150 g were employed in this research. The rats were randomly assigned to four groups of seven rats per group. Group I served as control and were administered distilled water while groups II-IV were administered with 1500 mg/kg of Citrus sinensis (fresh orange juice; FOJ), 0.1 μg/g of levothyroxine (LVT) and 0.01 mg/g of CARB, respectively, per oral once daily for 28 days. The animals were sacrificed under chloroform anaesthesia and blood sample collected by cardiac puncture and processed by standard method to obtain serum. TSH, T(4) and T(3) were assayed with the serum using ARIA II automated radioimmunoassay instrument. RESULTS: The results showed that TSH level was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in LVT treated group compared with the FOJ group. T(4) was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in the FOJ and CARB groups compared with the control and LVT groups. LVT significantly increased T(4) when compared with FOJ group. T(3) was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in the CARB group compared with the control. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that FOJ alters thyroid hormones metabolism to reduce their serum levels with a compensatory elevations of TSH level in a direction similar to CARB.