| Indication | For use alone or in combination with antithyroid agents to treat hypothyroidism, goiter, chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, myxedema coma, and stupor. |
| Pharmacodynamics | Levothyroxine (T4) is a synthetically prepared levo isomer of thyroxine, the major hormone secreted from the thyroid gland. Thyroxine is released from thyroglobulin by proteolysis and secreted into the blood. Thyroxine is peripherally deiodinated to form triiodothyronine (T3) which exerts a broad spectrum of stimulatory effects on cell metabolism. Thyroid hormone increases the metabolic rate of cells of all tissues in the body. In the fetus and newborn, thyroid hormone is important for the growth and development of all tissues including bones and the brain. In adults, thyroid hormone helps to maintain brain function, food metabolism, and body temperature, among other effects. The symptoms of thyroid deficiency relieved by levothyroxine include slow speech, lack of energy, weight gain, hair loss, dry thick skin and unusual sensitivity to cold. |
| Mechanism of action | Levothyroxine acts like the endogenous thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4, a tetra-iodinated tyrosine derivative). In the liver and kidney, T4 is converted to T3, the active metabolite. In order to increase solubility, the thyroid hormones attach to thyroid hormone binding proteins, thyroxin-binding globulin, and thyroxin-binding prealbumin (transthyretin). Transport and binding to thyroid hormone receptors in the cytoplasm and nucleus then takes place. Thus by acting as a replacement for natural thyroxine, symptoms of thyroxine deficiency are relieved. |
| Absorption | Bioavailability varies from 48% to 80%. Human studies have confirmed the importance of an intact jejunum and ileum for levothyroxine absorption and have shown some absorption from the duodenum. |
| Volume of distribution | Not Available |
| Protein binding | > 99% to serum proteins, including thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG), thyroxine-binding prealbumin (TBPA), and albumin (TBA) |
| Metabolism | Approximately 70% of secreted T4 is deiodinated to equal amounts of T3 and reverse triiodothyronine (rT3), which is calorigenically inactive. Elimination of T4 and T3 involves hepatic conjugation to glucuronic and sulfuric acids. The hormones undergo enterohepatic circulation as conjugates are hydrolyzed in the intestine and reabsorbed. Conjugated compounds that reach the colon are hydrolyzed and eliminated as free compounds in the feces. Other minor T4 metabolites have been identified. |
| Route of elimination | Thyroid hormones are primarily eliminated by the kidneys. |
| Half life | T4, 6 to 7 days. T3, 1 to 2 days. |
| Clearance | Not Available |
| Toxicity | LD50=20 mg/kg (orally in rat). Hypermetabolic state indistinguishable from thyrotoxicosis of endogenous origin. Symptoms of thyrotoxicosis include weight loss, increased appetite, palpitations, nervousness, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, sweating, tachycardia, increased pulse and blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias, tremors, insomnia, heat intolerance, fever, and menstrual irregularities. |