Background: Salivary flow rate (SFR), to estimate salivary gland dysfunction and radioactivity in different body fluids, to evaluate its intensity, were determined in thyroid patients after 131-I therapy. Material and Methods: For determination of SFR an innovative sponge test was adopted and the radioactivity in saliva, blood and serum of thyroid patients was determined by NaI (TI) Scintillation Radiation Detector. Results: There was a significant reduction in SFR at 2 weeks after RAIT. At 3 hours after administration of 555−1073 MBq to the benign thyroid patients, the radioactivity in 1 g of saliva, 2.5 mL of blood and 0.6 mL of serum was 17.24, 0.74 and 0.25 MBq respectively. In the same patients, at 2 weeks after RAIT, the radioactivity was decreased and was found to be 0.22, 0.13 and 0.09 MBq in saliva, blood and serum respectively. In malignant thyroid patients treated with 3700−9250 MBq, the radioactivity at 3 hours after RAIT in the studied samples of saliva, blood and serum was 200.72, 9.14 and 3.07 MBq and at 2 weeks after RAIT, radioactivity in samples was decreased up to 0.15, 0.05 and 0.03 MBq respectively. Conclusions: An indigenously designed sponge test was simple, safe and quick method to determine the SFR. The sudden increase of radioactivity was found in all studied samples within 3 hours after RAIT and reduced significantly at 2 weeks after RAIT. The raised radioactivity at 3 hours after RAIT was sufficient to impart its harmful effects even to all interactive persons.

Background: The use of ¹³¹I in thyroid diseases is responsible for oxidative stress due to increased production of reactive oxygen species that may lead to multiple disorders in human. Purpose of this study was to mitigate the oxidative stress, generated by ¹³¹I therapy, by supplementation of phytoprotectants. Materials and Methods: After eliminating absconders, 97 volunteers of benign and malignant hyperthyroid diseases viz. control (n=42), standard (n=23), turmeric (n=19) and green cardamom (n=13) groups participated in this study. Vitamins were administered orally in standard group while turmeric (Curcuma longa) and green cardamom (Eletteria cardamomum) as phytoprotectants were given orally in the respective groups, 5 days before ¹³¹I therapy. The malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured in serum before (baseline), at 3-hours and after 2-weeks of ¹³¹I administration. Results: After radioactive iodine therapy (RAIT), there was a continuous decline of serum MDA in vitamin group (3.57 to 2.64 µmol/L) in contrast to the control, where there was a ceaseless rise (3.01 to 3.69 µmol/L) in the oxidative stress in terms of MDA. In akin to the standard group of vitamins, there was incessant decrease in both the treatment groups of green cardamom (3.55 to 2.89 µmol/L) and turmeric (3.45 to 2.06 µmol/L). The turmeric was proved as better phytoprotectant. Conclusion: The turmeric and green cardamom are good scavengers of free radicals and can be used as supplements along with ¹³¹I, in thyroid patients as radioprotective agents. The turmeric is more potent radioprotectant as compared to green cardamom.