Pozostałości tyreostatyków w tkankach zwierząt i żywności

Thyreostats are thioamid antithyroid drugs. The activity of these compounds consists in inhibiting the synthesis of thyroid hormones: triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), which favors the processes of fattening animals. The weight gain of animals is mainly due to water retention in their tissues and gastrointestinal tract. Because of the cancerogenic and teratogenic properties of thyreostatic drugs, their use for animal fattening has been banned in Europe since 1981. Control studies conducted in Poland show that thyreostats are not used in farm animals. Several cases of endogenous thiouracil content in the urine of cattle and pigs have been reported over recent years. This article presents the properties of thyreostatic compounds, discusses a possible cause of endogenous thiouracil occurrence, and provides an overview of methods used in the analysis of thyreostatic residues.