Pharmacological properties

An adequate supply of iodine is essential for endogenous synthesis of thyroid hormones and for the normal function and morphology of the thyroid. According to the World Health Organization adults require 150 - 300 µg iodine per day. The daily intake in the Federal Republic of Germany and the most European countries is far below this - the figure for adults is between 50 and 70 µg and for school-children between 15 and 42 µg. Inadequate iodine supply is a potential cause of disease which can lead to endemic goiter and in extreme cases to congenital cretinism. Jodid 100/200 is for iodine replacement and is intended to prevent the consequences of inadequate iodine supply or to treat them.


Pharmacokinetic properties

Jodid is almost completely absorbed in all sections of the intestine, mainly however in the small intestine. After absorption it is distributed into the extracellular space within a period of 2 hours; in addition to the thyroid and the kidneys some other organs such as the gastric, mammary and salivary glands also take up iodide. In quantitative terms, however, the amount of iodine taken up by these organs is very slight: about 3/4 of the total iodine in the body (10 - 20 mg) is found in the thyroid.

Jodid is mainly excreted via the kidneys, to a lesser extent with the perspiration and the feces.

Investigations on bioavailability have not been performed with iodine tablets since it may be assumed that the bioavailability of potassium iodine is virtually 100 %.


Preclinical safety data

Acute toxicity

The acute toxicity of potassium iodide has been investigated after intraperitoneal and oral administration to mice and after oral administration to rats.

In mice the LD50 after intraperitoneal injection was 1.117+30mg/kg of body weight and after oral administration 2.068+140 mg/kg of body weight. In rats the LD50 was 2.779 mg/kg of body weight. Toxicity symptoms were nonspecific in both animals.

All in all potassium iodide can be characterized as a relatively non-toxic substance in short-term use.

Toxicity after repeated administration

Information from subacute and chronic toxicity studies with potassium iodide in animals is not available.

Reproduction toxicity

Investigations on the influence of increased iodine supply with the diet during pregnancy have been carried out in rabbits, hamsters, minks and pigs. An influence on the size of litters or on the mortality of newborn animals was found in some animal species but not until the concentration of iodine in the diet were 2-3 powers of 10 above the normal iodine content in the feed (rabbits) or when iodine supply was increased by a factor of 4-8 as compared to the normal supply (minks).

Mutagenicity, cancerogenicity

Based on investigations in various test systems using potassium iodine in concentrations between 100 µg and 100 mg/l it can be concluded that potassium iodide does not have biologically relevant mutagenic or carcinogenic effects.