You work for a pharmaceutical company where you are assigned the task of creatin

Question

You work for a pharmaceutical company where you are assigned the task of creating new drug therapies to treat thyroid disorders such as hyperthyroidism (high levels of T3 and T4) and hypothyroidism (low levels of T3 and T4). Your team has designed a few drugs, and your job is to identify which drug(s) would be successful in treating thyroid disorders based on your knowledge of thyroid hormone synthesis. Below is the list of drugs your team designed (all of these are hypothetical drugs).

Peroxidine: A drug that inhibits thyroid peroxidase from functioning

Cimigine: A drug that inhibits potassium/iodine cotransporter

Iodimine: A drug that inhibits iodinase from functioning

Aldosine: A drug that inhibits production of angiotensinogen from the liver

Aldoramine: A drug that inhibits sodium/iodine cotransporter

Thyromine: A drug that stimulates thyroglobulin production

Identify the drug(s) that would be successful in treating hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, and explain why and how they would be successful.

Explanation / Answer

Drugs used for hyperthyroidism:

Peroxidine : A drug that inhibits thyroid peroxidase from functioning. Thyroid peroxidase oxidizes iodide in to form iodine atoms for addition into tyrosine residues residue on thyroglobulin for production of T3 or T4. This drug that inhibits thyroid peroxidase causes reduction in production of T3 and T4. Hence it treats hyperthyroidism.

Iodine : A drug that inhibits iodinase from functioning. Iodinase is responsible for converting iodide ions to iodine which produce T4 and T3. As iodinase is inhibited, T4 and T3 production decreases. This treats hyperthyroidism.

Aldoramine : a drug that inhibits sodium/iodide cotransporter. Sodium/iodide cotransporter is a transmembrane glycoprotein that which transports two sodium cation for one iodide anion into the cell. This mediated transfer of iodide into follicular cells of thyroid is the first step in the production of thyroid hormone. Inhibition of this transporter reduces T3 and T4 production. Hence it is used for treating hyperthyroidism.

Drugs to treat hypothyroidism:

Thyromine: a drug that stimulates thyroglobulin production. Thyroglobulin is a protein present in thyroid follicular cells which help in production of thyroid hormones. Stimulation of thyroglobulin production increases production of thyroid hormones. Hence it treats hypothyroidism.

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