Impact of nitrate intake in drinking water on the thyroid gland activity in male rat

• Published in: Toxicology letters Vol. 147; no. 1; pp. 27 - 33
• Main Authors: Zaki, A., Ait Chaoui, A., Talibi, A., Derouiche, A.F., Aboussaouira, T., Zarrouck, K., Chait, A., Himmi, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 28-02-2004; Amsterdam Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drinking; Goitre; Male; Medical sciences; Metals and various inorganic compounds; Morocco; Nitrates; Nitrates - administration & dosage; Nitrates - toxicity; Potassium Compounds - administration & dosage; Potassium Compounds - toxicity; Rat; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Tadla-Azilal; Thyroid gland; Thyroid Gland - drug effects; Thyroid Gland - metabolism; Thyroid Gland - pathology; Thyroid hormones; Thyroxine - blood; Toxicology; Triiodothyronine - blood; Water Pollutants - administration & dosage; Water Pollutants - toxicity; Water Supply - analysis; Morocco; Nitrates; Thyroid gland; Goitre; Thyroid hormones; Rat; Tadla-Azilal; Endocrinopathy; Drinking water; Toxicity; Rodentia; Thyroid diseases; Oral administration; Male; Dose activity relation; Pollutant; Vertebrata; Chronic; Mammalia; Inorganic anion; Goiter; Animal; Thyroid hormone
• ISSN: 0378-4274; 1879-3169
• DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2003.10.010

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of nitrate on both the activity of the thyroid gland and other biological parameters. After 5-month treatment, nitrate 150 and 500
mg/l induced a significant decrease in the serum level of thyroid hormone T3. For T4, the 500
mg/l dose only reduced its plasma level. On the other hand, nitrate induced a dose-dependent increase in the weight of the thyroid gland. The histological study of the thyroid gland shows vacuolisation and an increase in the size of the follicles accompanied by a flatness of follicular epithelium with nitrate 150 and 500
mg/l. We concluded that the presence of high concentrations of nitrate in drinking water influence the growth, induce morpho-functional modifications of the thyroid gland and might be considered as a goitrigenic factor.