Raw research findings for this medication. Mostly single studies, not curated or confirmed robust.
Propylthiouracil (PTU) is an antithyroid medicine that blocks thyroid peroxidase, so the thyroid makes less hormone, and also reduces the conversion of T4 into the more active T3. It is used for hyperthyroidism, mainly in the first trimester of pregnancy and in thyroid storm, because it can rarely cause severe liver injury; methimazole is preferred otherwise.
Propylthiouracil is cleared mainly by glucuronidation. The gene study listed looked at HLA-B variants, linked in genome-wide studies to agranulocytosis, a rare sudden loss of white blood cells with antithyroid drugs. The evidence is weak, and there is no CPIC or DPWG guideline.
Every published finding on gene variants and Propylthiouracil. Upload your DNA file to see which of these rows apply to you.
PharmGKB weighs all studies of a variant and rates how strong the evidence is, from 1A (strongest) to 4.
HLA-B HLA-B*38:02: Level 3. Toxicity: Agranulocytosis, Graves Disease. 2.
Study findings and evidence levels: PharmGKB (CC BY-SA 4.0). Guidelines: CPIC and DPWG, as bundled in PharmCAT. Most studies were done mainly in people of European ancestry.
More drugs from the same category
Antithyroid Drugs (class) (Antithyroid Agents)
Not a prescribing recommendation. This page is educational information about pharmacogenomic research and clinical guidelines - it is not medical or dosing advice, and not a prediction of how any medication will work for you. Never start, stop, or change a medication or dose based on it; talk to your doctor or pharmacist, who can order clinical-grade testing if appropriate.
Content updated September 2026.
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