Modulatory Efficiency of Echinacea purpurea Extract on Hyperthyroidism Modeled Rats

Background and objective:Thyroid hormones are crucial for growth, metabolism, thermoregulation, and development. Hyperthyroidism is a thyroid disorder characterized by over secretion of thyroid hormones that lead to raise in the metabolic rate and oxygen utilization in several tissues. Echinacea purpurea (EchEE) is a significant medicinal plant with several pharmacological benefits. Aim of the work: This study was conducted to evaluate the modulatory efficiency of Echinacea purpurea ethanolic extract on hyperthyroidism-modeled rats. Materials and methods: Both normal and hyperthyroidism animals were classified into four groups (10 rats each) as follows: 1) normal animals without any treatments and served as normal control; 2) normal animals orally administrated with EchEE (465 mg/kg/day) dissolved in water for 30 days; 3) untreated hyperthyroidism-modeled animals; 4) hyperthyroidism-modeled animals treated with EchEE for a similar period. Results: Treatment of the hyperthyroidism-modeled animals with EchEE, resulted in a significant reduction in the serum level of total T3, total T4, free T3 and free T4 hormones coupled with a remarkable elevation in TSH level. EchEE succeeded also in ameliorating the histological and immunohistochemical picture of the thyroid gland. Also, it improved liver and kidney functions and decreased blood sugar levels. Conclusions: This study concluded that EchEE efficiently improved the pathophysiological architecture of the hyperthyroid gland, this was achieved from the marked decline in its hormone with a notable raise in TSH. This effect could be mechanized through the antioxidant characteristics of EchEE constituents. This extract could be a promising medical agent for human health; additional research is needed.