Metformin and alpha lipoic acid ameliorate hypothyroidism and its complications in adult male rats

Objective The current study evaluates the effect of metformin (MET) and /or alpha lipoic acid (ALA) on hypothyroidism and its adverse effects on the cardiac, renal, and, hepatic functions in rats. Materials and methods Rats were divided into five groups: control, rat model of hypothyroidism induced by propylthiouracil (PTU), rat model of hypothyroidism treated with MET, rat model of hypothyroidism treated with ALA, and rat model of hypothyroidism treated with MET and ALA. At the end of the experiment, body weight gain was determined and the blood samples were collected from orbital plexus to measure the serum levels of thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) by ELISA, glucose level, the activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and the levels of urea and creatinine spectrophotometrically. Results Rat model of hypothyroidism revealed a significant decrease in T4 (p < 0.001) and T3 (p < 0.001) and a significant increase in TSH (p < 0.005). This was accompanied by a significant decrease in the body weight gain (p < 0.025) and a significant increase in LDH (p < 0.001), CK-MB (p < 0.001) AST (p < 0.01), ALT (p < 0.016), ALP (p < 0.001), glucose (p < 0.001), urea (p < 0.001) and creatinine (p < 0.001). MET restored T4, T3 and TSH to control values. Treatment with ALA restored T3 and TSH levels. Treatment with Met and /or ALA reduced the levels of glucose, urea and creatinine and the activities of LDH, CK-MB, AST, ALT, and ALP to control-like values. Only ALA improved the reduced body weight gain induced by hypothyroidism. Conclusion The present findings indicate the ameliorative effects of MET and /or ALA on hypothyroidism and its adverse effects on cardiac, renal and hepatic functions.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the effects of metformin and/or alpha lipoic acid on hypothyroidism and its adverse effects on cardiac, renal, and hepatic functions. The results showed that both metformin and alpha lipoic acid improved the abnormal physiological indicators caused by hypothyroidism.