Stereospecific determination of D-thyroxin and L-thyroxin in serum

A new method for separate determination of D-thyroxin and L-thyroxin in the serum was applied to study the response of serum levels of these isomers and of radioimmunologically determined total T3, total T4, free T4 and TSH upon administration of 2, 4 and 6 mg of a highly purified D-thyroxin preparation in six male patients with diffuse nontoxic goiter. D- and L-thyroxin are determined separately following extraction of the hormone from the serum and formation of diastereomeric dipeptides. The separation and final determination are accomplished by means of ion-pair chromatography on reversed-phase columns using an iodine-selective catalytic detector. A significant decrease in TSH takes place during the 3-days observation period. The values of D-T4, total T3 and free T4 are highest 4 hours after administration of the tablets and get to be to initial values after 24 hours. L-T4 shows no significant change. A direct suppressive effect of D-T4 on the pituitary gland may therefore be assumed as the cause of the suppression of TSH secretion.