The Relationship Between Serum Level of Thyroid Hormones and Antioxidant Enzymes in Clinically Healthy Ostriches

Ameneh Khoshvaghti, Saeed Nazifi, Mohammad Mehdi Mirabad and Bijan Akbarpour

Thyroid hormones might be able to regulate the activities of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), catalase and Glutathione Peroxidase (GPX). The role of thyroid hormones in metabolic pathways and antioxidant enzyme activities are well known in many species. Nevertheless, there is no report describing probable relationship between thyroid hormones status and erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes. This study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between these parameters in ostriches. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein of 50 clinically healthy ostriches under aseptic conditions during 6 consecutive days of summer. The serum was analyzed for serum profile of thyroid hormones, SOD and GPX activity. There were no significant differences in serum thyroid hormones and antioxidant enzymes in different days (p>0.05). There were significant correlations between SOD and T₃ (p = 0.021, r = 0.421), also between f T₃ and T₄ (p = 0.000, r = 0.997). There was no significant correlation between other parameters.