Effect of thyroid imbalance on the detoxication of benzoic acid in the rat

Abstract

Thyroid hormone imbalance has been shown to profoundly influence the detoxication of benzoic acid in the rat. The excretion of hippuric acid and benzoylglucuronide following theadministration of sodium benzoate is low in hypcrthyroid rats when compared with normal. In vitro studies with tissue slices have confirmed the results obtained with intact rats. The thyroid status of the animal has also been found to influence the utilization of administered glucuronolactone. The β-glucuronidase activity of hypothyroid rat livers is depressed below normal and the extent of glucosiduronic acid synthesis in these livers is much higher than normal. The various implications of these results are discussed.