Background & aim:  Thyroid gland has an important role in growh and metabolism in the body. Hypothyroidism is a disorder that act on body organs. Medicinal plants are widely used in treatment of disease. Elettaria Cardamomum L.is known as a medicinal plant widely used in traditional medicine. In the present study, the Elettaria Cardamomum hydroethanolic extract (ECE) on hypothyroid male mice was investigated.

Methods: In the present experimental study, 42 male mice were randomly divided into 6 groups: control groups, witness (taking propylthiouracil ,PTU 0.1% in tap water), treated groups 1,2 and 3: (taking PTU, 0.1% in tap water + 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg ECE , i.p) and levothyroxine group (taking PTU, 0.1% in tap water + 15 µg/kg. gavaged). The PTU 0.1% was administered for 15 days, then the groups received ECE and levothyroxine for 10 days. The control group received 0.25ml normal saline intraperituneally daily. At the end of experiment, animals were anesthetized by ether and blood samples were collected from heart directly for analyzing TSH, T3 & T4 hormones. The data were expressed as mean±SEM and analyzed by ANOVA statistical software (P<0.05).

Results:The results of this study indicated that the T3 and T4 levels decreased and TSH level increased significantly compared with the control group in taking PTU group(P<0.001). In treated groups by ECE with different concentrations the T3 and T4 serum levels increased significantly compared with the witness group (P<0.001). Moreover, the T3 and T4 serum levels increased significantly in the levothyroxine group compared with the control and hypothyroid groups(P<0.001). 

Conclusion: The ECE may have antioxidant and flavonoid compounds which are able to act on thyroids hormones synthesis considerably and increase its serum levels in male mice.