propylthiouracil

1 9.9

A medicine that makes the thyroid gland less active

noun
/ˌproʊpəlˌθaɪoʊˈjʊərəˌsɪl/

Specialized

: propiltiouracilo

Doctors often prescribe propylthiouracil to patients with hyperthyroidism to help manage their condition.

Examples

The use of propylthiouracil can effectively reduce the size of a goiter over a few months.
Furthermore, none of these prior studies controlled for stimulus palatability or for the fact that taste intensity perception is known to vary in the healthy population based on genetic factors, including the ability to taste the bitter compound 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP; Bartoshuk, 2000).

Academic text (2012)
After starting propylthiouracil, her thyroid hormone levels significantly decreased, improving her symptoms.

Synonyms

thiouracil

vspropylthiouracil

Specialized

9.9

A medicine that reduces the activity of the thyroid gland

is a specific crystalline drug used for hyperthyroidism and also for goiter

Surface Forms

propylthiouracil singular

propylthiouracils plural

Morphology

propylthiouracil = thiouracil (opaque) = propyl + thio + uracil

The formation follows chemical nomenclature (adding a propyl group to thiouracil) and requires specialized chemical knowledge; an average B1 learner knowing the parts would not deduce the pharmacological meaning.

Etymology

Propylthiouracil breaks into three parts: propyl, thio, and uracil. Propyl comes from propane and means a 'three-carbon' part, thio means 'sulfur', and uracil is a small chemical unit found in RNA, so the name describes the drug's chemical pieces and helps explain why it acts to reduce the thyroid's activity.