Active iodine transport into the thyrocyte is catalyzed by the transmembrane transport protein Na+/J- symport (NIS) Nitrates can expel iodine from the bond with this transport protein which was found not only in the thyrocyte membrane but also in the cell membrane of the gastric mucosa. The weight of the thyroid gland in mg was significantly greater even when calculated in relation to body weight in the NIT group of rats who were given for 6 days nitrate by gastric tube (100 mg/kg/day) as compared with controls (CON) 17.56 +/- 8.4, 0.07 +/- 0.03/12.10 +/- 9.57, 0.05 +/- 0.03, P < or = 0.01. A lower thyroid activity in per cent calculated per 1 mg of its weight (1.39 +/- 1.0/2.22 +/- 0.9, P < or = 0.01), a higher activity in blood before removal of the thyroid gland (8.54 +/- 4.09/5.45 +/- 2.78) and a lower one after removal of the thyroid gland (1.09 +/- 0.05/0.21 +/- 0.10) before oral administration of I131 in group NIT, suggests a negative effect of nitrates on active iodine transport not only at the level of the thyrocyte but also possible interaction with iodine at the level of the digestive tract. A significantly higher serum level of TT3 in group NIT (0.66 +/- 0.27/0.44 +/- 0.21, P < or = 0.01 regardless of the TSH serum level (2.31 +/- 1.83/2.64 +/- 1.52) and T4 (22.72 +/- 8.2/25 +/- 11.0) suggests a qualitative change in thyroid hormone production in favour of T3 caused even by short-term nitrate administration.

Keywords: Animals; Biological Transport, Active /drug effects/; Gastric Mucosa /metabolism/; Iodine /metabolism/; Iodine Radioisotopes; Male; Nitrates /pharmacology/; Organ Size /drug effects/; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Thyroid Gland /anatomy & histology/; Thyrotropin /blood/; Thyroxine /blood/; Triiodothyronine /blood/