Effects of octreotide on propylotiouracil-induced goiter in rats: a quantitative evaluation

M. Pawlikowski1, K. Zielin´ski3, D. Slowin´ska-Klencka1 and M. Klencki2

1Department of Experimental Endocrinology and Hormone Diagnostics and 2Department of Thyroidology, Institute of Endocrinology, Medical University of Lodz and 3Department of Pathomorphology, Military School of Medicine, Lodz, Poland

Offprint requests to: Prof. Dr Marek Pawlikowski, Institute of Endocrinology, Medical University of Lodz, Dr Sterling Str. 3, 91-425 Lodz, Poland

Summary. To evaluate the possible antigoitrogenic effect of somatostatin, the influence of long-acting somatostatin analog - octreotide - on experimental goiter developed in rats treated with propylthiouracil was examined. Goiter formation was assessed by measure-ment of the main histological compartments of the thyroid as well as by morphometric analysis of the vascularization and blood supply of the gland. Although treatment with octreotide did not prevent the goiter formation, it clearly reduced blood supply and vascu-larization of the thyroid and counteracted propylthio-uracil-induced increase in the relative volume of follicular epithelium. To conclude, the somatostatin analog - octreotide - is effective in reduction of goiter vascularisation. This finding provides a rationale for the clinical trials of the treatment of hypervascular goiter by somatostatin analogs. Histol. Histopathol. 13, 679-682 (1998)

Key words: Somatostatin analogs, Octreotide, PTU, Thyroid gland, Vascularization, Morphometry

DOI: 10.14670/HH-13.679