Anti-inflammatory and anti-peroxidative roles of diacerein are possibly mediated through an alteration in thyroid functions in animal model of inflammation.

This study was designed to reveal the possible involvement of thyroid hormones, if any, in diacerein induced alterations in glucose metabolism and tissue lipid peroxidation (LPO) in the animal model of carrageenan-induced inflammation. We studied the influence of diacerein administration on the changes in carrageenan-induced thyroid dysfunction; hepatic, renal and cardiac LPO as well as serum glucose, thyroid hormones and insulin concentrations in Wistar rats. Alterations in paw volume, serum levels of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides as well as hepatic, renal and cardiac reduced glutathione (GSH) contents were also studied as supporting parameters. While a decrease in the level of serum thyroid hormones and HDL-C and in tissue GSH content was observed in carrageenan-treated animals, it increased paw volume, the concentration of other serum lipids, glucose and insulin as well as tissue LPO. However, following diacerein administration for 21 days to carrageenan-treated animals, level of thyroid hormones and all other thyroid dependent parameters were reversed suggesting that the drug might be acting through stimulation in the thyroid functions.