Changes in the thyroid gland of animals chronically treated with alcohol

Abstract

The study presents an experimental model of alcoholism. Female and male rats of Wistar albino were given 15% ethanol as the only drinking solution daily one month before mating, and the said amount was further administered to the females during both pregnancy and lactation. Control rats (n=22) received tap water. It was generally accepted that long-term administration of ethanol affected the thyroid gland morphology as well as the thyroid hormone level.

The results suggest that the effect of long-term alcohol administration induced changes in thyroid gland structure. Its secretion hormones are responsible for the regulation of growth and metabolism in general. Excessive thyroid activity induces general restlessness, more rapid heart rates and other undesired effects. Cythologic and morphometric procedures were used to describe the changes induced by ethanol in the tissues of baby rats. The baby rats were given 15% ethanol as the only drinking solution before and after birth. Point counting was used to determine the volume density of epithelium (Vve), colloid (Vvc), interfollicular spaces (Vvi), capillary (Vvs) and the activation index of the thyroid gland (Ia, Ia =Vve/Vvc). The most prominent cytological changes in the thyroid gland of the alcoholized baby rats were changes in follicular epithelia, C-cells and thyroid activation. Stereological analysis showed a statistically significant increase in the Vve, Ia, and significant reduction in Vvk, T3 and T4 in alcoholized animals.