Effects of beta-blocking agents on urinary excretion of 3-methylhistidine during experimental hyperthyroidism in rats

Beta-blocking agents are increasingly used as preoperative treatment of hyperthyroid patients. Relatively little is known about the effects of these drugs on metabolic alterations in hyperthyroidism. The aim of this investigation was to study the effects of two different beta-blocking agents on the urinary excretion of 3-methylhistidine (3-MH) during experimental hyperthyroidism in rats. Experimental hyperthyroidism was induced by daily intraperitoneal injections of triiodothyronine (T3; 100 micrograms/100 g body weight) for 3 days. Control animals were injected with corresponding volumes of solvent. Groups of rats received food enriched with metoprolol (8.8 mmol/kg of diet) or propranolol (3.3 mmol/kg of diet) or food without additions. Urinary 3-MH excretion was increased by about 40% during experimental hyperthyroidism. A similar increase of 3-MH excretion was found in animals receiving T3 + metoprolol, whereas the excretion of 3-MH was reduced to control level in hyperthyroid rats receiving propranolol. No effects of metoprolol or propranolol on 3-MH excretion were found in control animals. Although the source of 3-MH cannot be exactly defined, the present results indicate that increased proteolysis in skeletal muscle and/or other tissues during experimental hyperthyroidism was reduced by propranolol.