Role of Fucus VesiculosusL. Alga in Promoting Thyroid Function in Experimental Rats

Background:Fucus Vesiculosusis one of the Laminariales that belong to the family of seaweed. It has a long history of use as food and medication due to its biological properties .Fucusare a very valuable precious food sources with high nutritional value and low in calories because of the lower content of lipids and polysaccharides. Aim: The study has been conducted to identify the preventive role and positive effects of the seaweed Fucus Vesiculosus and its role to minimize the side effects of Propylthiouracil (PTU) on the function and structure of the thyroid gland. (n= 6 rats each group); the 1st group (positive control group) was fed on the basal diet for (18 days); the 2nd group (drug Levothyroxine) was fed on a basal diet plus receiveda daily oral dose of levothyroxine (10mc /kg body weight) by gastric tube for (18 days); the 3rd group (D+F 2.5%) was fed on a basal diet containing dried fucus (25 g/kg body weight) and received a daily oral dose of levothyroxine (5mc /kg body weight) by gastric tube for (18 days); the 4th group (D+F 5.0% ) was fed on a basal diet containing dried fucus (50 g/kg body weight) and received daily oral dose of levothyroxine (5mc /kg body weight) by gastric tube for (18 days); the 5th group (F 2.5%) was fed on a basal diet containing dried fucus (25 g/kg body weight) for (18 days) : and the 6th group (F 5.0%) was fed on a basal diet containingdried fucus (50 g/kg body weight) for (18 days). The intervention continued for 35 consecutive days. The results showed that there is no significant difference between rats treated with fucus (50 g/kg) + drug (5mc/kg), and (-ve) normal control group in weight gain .