Methylthiouracil
Encyclopedia
Methylthiouracil is an antithyroid preparation. It is a thioamide
, closely related to propylthiouracil
.
Methylthiouracil is not used clinically in the United States, it has a similar mechanism of action and side effect to that of propylthiouricil.
The drug acts to decrease the formation of stored thyroid hormone, as thyroglobulin in the thyroid gland.
The clinical effects of the drug to treat the hyperthyroid state can have a lag period of up to two weeks, depending on the stores of thyroglobulin and other factors.
Agranulocytosis
- develops rapidly, sore throat and fever are hallmark symptoms. Can be fatal if drug is not discontinued promptly.
Allergic skin reactions the most dangerous of which is Exfoliative Dermatitis, it rapidly can get out of control, notify the physician should a skin eruption occur.
Hepatitis
- yellowing of the skin, nausea, yellowing of the whites of the eyes, flu-like symptoms.
Thrombocytopenia
- unusual bruising or bleeding.
Thioamide
Thioamide is a functional group with the general structure R-CS-NR'R, where R, R', and R are organic groups. They are analogous to amides but they exhibit greater multiple bond character along the C-N bond, resulting in a larger rotational barrier...
, closely related to propylthiouracil
Propylthiouracil
Propylthiouracil or 6-n-Propylthiouracil is a thioamide drug used to treat hyperthyroidism by decreasing the amount of thyroid hormone produced by the thyroid gland...
.
Methylthiouracil is not used clinically in the United States, it has a similar mechanism of action and side effect to that of propylthiouricil.
The drug acts to decrease the formation of stored thyroid hormone, as thyroglobulin in the thyroid gland.
The clinical effects of the drug to treat the hyperthyroid state can have a lag period of up to two weeks, depending on the stores of thyroglobulin and other factors.
Side effects
Like with any drug a wide variety of side effects can occur, but four topics should be kept in mind and the patient informed:Agranulocytosis
Agranulocytosis
Granulopenia, also known as Agranulosis or Agranulocytosis, is an acute condition involving a severe and dangerous leukopenia , most commonly of neutrophils causing a neutropenia in the circulating blood. It represents a severe lack of one major class of infection-fighting white blood cells...
- develops rapidly, sore throat and fever are hallmark symptoms. Can be fatal if drug is not discontinued promptly.
Allergic skin reactions the most dangerous of which is Exfoliative Dermatitis, it rapidly can get out of control, notify the physician should a skin eruption occur.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a medical condition defined by the inflammation of the liver and characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of the organ. The name is from the Greek hepar , the root being hepat- , meaning liver, and suffix -itis, meaning "inflammation"...
- yellowing of the skin, nausea, yellowing of the whites of the eyes, flu-like symptoms.
Thrombocytopenia
Thrombocytopenia
Thrombocytopenia is a relative decrease of platelets in blood.A normal human platelet count ranges from 150,000 to 450,000 platelets per microliter of blood. These limits are determined by the 2.5th lower and upper percentile, so values outside this range do not necessarily indicate disease...
- unusual bruising or bleeding.