2-Thiouracil is a specific molecule consisting of a sulfated

uracil Uracil () (symbol U or Ura) is one of the four nucleobases in the nucleic acid RNA. The others are adenine (A), cytosine (C), and guanine (G). In RNA, uracil binds to adenine via two hydrogen bonds. In DNA, the uracil nucleobase is replaced b ...

Medical use

The substance is a historically relevant anti-thyroid preparation. Astwood E.B. used it in 1943 as therapy of Graves' disease for the first time. It remains in use. Thiouracil inhibits thyroid activity by blocking the enzyme

thyroid peroxidase Thyroid peroxidase, also called thyroperoxidase (TPO) or iodide peroxidase, is an enzyme expressed mainly in the thyroid where it is secreted into colloid. Thyroid peroxidase oxidizes iodide ions to form iodine atoms for addition onto tyrosine re ...

. Its use in recent times has been replaced by advent of more potent and safer antithyroid drugs. It occurs in seeds of Brassica and Crucifera species. Thiouracil has been used as antithyroid, coronary vasodilator, and in congestive heart failure although its use has been largely supplanted by other drugs.

References

Pyrimidines IARC Group 2B carcinogens Thioureas Nucleobases {{heterocyclic-stub