Effect of azodicarbonamide (1,1'-azobisformamide) on thyroid function.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Azodicarbonamide (ADA, or 1,1′-azobisformamide) is a flour-maturing agent currently being promoted for use in the baking of commercial breads. Since ADA bears some structural resemblance to the known antithyroid agent aminotriazole (ATZ), we tested ADA for antithyroid action in rats. Rats given ADA in doses of 5 or 10% of the diet for 10 days or 4 weeks had lower 24-hr thyroidal 125I uptakes than control animals and had serum PBI levels which tended to be lower than those of the controls. However, there was no consistent goitrogenic effect of ADA, and the experimental animals showed no rise in serum TSH as estimated by radioimmunoassay. ADA in doses of 0.2, 2 and 20 mg/100 g body wt/day given parenterally caused no antithyroid effects, though rats given the highest dose showed other evidence of toxicity. The ADA reduction product biurea (BiU, or 1-carbamylsemicarbasize) caused no change in thyroid function when given orally as 5 or 10% of the diet or parenterally in doses of 2 or 20 mg/100 g body...