Changes in thyroid status of rats after prolonged exposure to low dose dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane.

The effect of low dose dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), omnipresent ecotoxicant and endocrine disruptor, on the functioning of the endocrine system is an urgent problem. We studied the effect of low dose DDT on thyroid status in rats. Rats receiving DDT in a dose of 1.890±0.086 μg/kg for 6 weeks showed increased concentrations of thyroid hormones, particularly triiodothyronine, and reduced level of thyrotropin. Longer exposure reduced the production of thyroid hormones. The dynamics of thyroid status parameters during DDT treatment in a low dose was similar to changes observed during the development of hypothyroidism induced by iodine deficiency.