The endocrine system is ... The glands of the endocrine system

A special place among the internal structures of man is occupied by the endocrine system. This is due to the fact that its activities extend to all organs and tissues.

General information

A certain number of cells of the endocrine system is put together. They form a glandular apparatus - intrasecretory glands. The compounds that produce the structure penetrate directly into cells through the intercellular substance or are carried with blood. Science, which carries out a general study of the structure, is biology. The endocrine system is of great importance for a person and fulfills the most important functions in ensuring normal life activity.

Structure functions

The endocrine system of the body takes part in chemical processes, coordinates the activities of all organs and other structures. It is responsible for the stable flow of life processes under conditions of constant changes in the external environment. As the immune and nervous, the endocrine system is involved in controlling the development and growth of a person, the functioning of reproductive organs and sexual differentiation. Her activities also extend to the formation of emotional reactions, mental behavior. The endocrine system is, among other things, one of the human energy generators.

Elements of the structure

The endocrine system of the body includes intrasecretory elements. In their totality they constitute a glandular apparatus. It produces some hormones of the endocrine system. In addition, in almost every human tissue there are cells of the structure. A group of endocrine cells scattered throughout the body forms a diffuse part of the system.

Intrasecretory elements

The glandular apparatus includes the following intrasecretory glands of the endocrine system:

• Shchitovidku . It is considered the largest intrasecretory gland. It produces important chemical compounds. In particular, endocrine system hormones such as T4 (thyroxine), calcitonin, and T3 (triiodothyronine) are produced. These compounds are involved in controlling the growth process, tissue differentiation, human development. Substances enhance the intensity of metabolic processes, the level of consumption of O2 tissues and organs. Failure in the development of certain compounds in the thyroid gland is fraught with the development of pathologies such as hypothyroidism, Hashimoto's goitre, thyrotoxicosis, cancer, cretinism, toxic diffuse goiter, myxedema (the extreme stage of hypothyroidism).
• Thymus . This gland produces T-cells of the body's defense system. It also releases thymopoietins. These hormones of the endocrine system are responsible for the functional activity and maturation of immune cells. We can say that the thymus is involved in a vital process of monitoring and developing internal protection of a person. In this regard, it can be argued that violations in the work of this element are also immune disorders. It is difficult to overestimate the value of the protective system for a person.
• Parathyroid glands of the endocrine system . Here, the compound responsible for the concentration of calcium is produced. It, in turn, ensures the stable functioning of the nervous and motor apparatus. The pathologies associated with a malfunction in the activity of parathyroid glands include hyperparathyroidism, parathyroid osteodystrophy, hypercalcemia.
• The adrenal glands . These elements are the main source of norepinephrine and epinephrine. When violations in the functioning of the adrenal gland can appear a variety of pathologies, including those with severe course. At first glance, with some of them, the work of the endocrine system is not related. Speech, in particular, is about cardiovascular pathologies - hypertension, heart attacks and other vascular disorders. However, in many cases, a direct connection is found in diagnosing and identifying the causes of the development of diseases.
• Pancreas . This element belongs to the group of organs of the digestive tract. In the gland produced two types of compounds - glucagon and insulin. The latter provides a decrease in the concentration of glucose in the blood. Glucagon, on the contrary, increases its content. Both hormones are involved in the normalization of fat and carbohydrate metabolism. In this regard, the pathologies associated with violations in the activities of this body include diabetes and its complications, as well as disorders that are caused by excessive body weight.
• The gonads . They produce sex hormones.
• Ovaries . These elements are included in the female reproductive system. Their main functions include the production of estrogens and progesterone. By producing these hormones, the ovaries thus participate in the activity of the reproductive system. Pathologies associated with impaired functions of these elements include mastopathy, myoma, cystosis, cancer, infertility, endometriosis and others.
• Eggs . They are part of the structure of the male reproductive system. Here, steroid hormones are produced (testosterone, mainly), spermatozoa (sex cells). With dysfunction of the testicles, various disorders in the male body develop, including infertility.

Diffuse part

The main element that includes the endocrine system in this case is pituitary. This gland of the diffuse part of the structure is of particular importance. It can be called the central body. The pituitary closely closely interacts with the hypothalamus, forming the pituitary-hypothalamus apparatus. Thanks to it, the interaction of the compounds produced by the epiphysis is regulated.

In the central organ, compounds are produced that involve the stimulation and regulation of the endocrine system. In the anterior pituitary gland six important substances are produced. They are called dominant. They include, in particular, adrenocorticotropic hormone, thyrotropin, four gonadotropic compounds that control the activity of the sexual elements of the structure. Somatropin is also produced here. This is a very important connection for a person. Somatropin is also called growth hormone. It is the main factor affecting the development of the bone, muscle and cartilage apparatus. With excessive production of somatropin in adults, agrochemia is diagnosed. This pathology is manifested in an increase in the bones of the face and limbs.

Epiphysis

It produces an antidiuretic hormone that provides regulation of the water balance in the body, as well as oxytocin. The latter is responsible for the contractility of smooth muscles (including the uterus in the process of childbirth). In the epiphysis hormone compounds are produced. They include noradrenaline and melatonin. The latter is the hormone responsible for the order of phases during sleep. With the participation of norepinephrine, the nervous and endocrine system is regulated, as well as the circulation of blood. All components of the structure are interrelated. When an element falls out, the regulation of the endocrine system is disturbed, as a result of which failures occur in other structures.

General information about pathologies

Diseases of the endocrine system are expressed in conditions associated with hyper-, hypo- or dysfunction of intrasecretory glands. Currently, medicine knows quite a lot of different therapeutic methods that can correct the activity of the structure. Affect the choice of adequate options that correct the functions that the endocrine system has, symptoms, type and stage of pathology, individual patient characteristics. As a rule, in complex diseases, complex therapy is used. This choice is due to the fact that the endocrine system is a rather complex structure, and the use of any one option to eliminate the causes of failure is not enough.

Steroid therapy

As it was said above, the endocrine system is a structure, the elements of which carry out the production of chemical compounds involved in the activity of other organs and tissues. In connection with this, steroid therapy is the main method of eliminating various failures in the production of substances. It is used, in particular, when the insufficient or excessive content of compounds that the endocrine system produces is diagnosed. Treatment with steroids is mandatory after a number of operations. Therapy, as a rule, assumes a special scheme for taking medications. After a partial or complete removal of the gland, for example, the patient is given a life-long hormone intake.

Other drugs

At many pathologies to which the endocrine system is exposed, treatment assumes reception общеукрепляющих, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic agents. Also, radioactive iodine therapy is often used. In cancer pathologies, radioactive irradiation is used to destroy pathologically dangerous and damaged cells.

List of medications used to normalize the endocrine system

At the heart of many medicines there are natural components. Such agents are more preferable in the therapy of a number of diseases. The activity of active substances of such drugs is aimed at stimulating metabolic processes and normalizing the hormonal background. Specialists distinguish especially the following drugs:

• "Omega Q10". This drug strengthens the immune system and normalizes the functions of the endocrine glands.
• "Flavit-L". This drug is designed to treat and prevent violations of the endocrine system in women.
• "Detovit". This remedy is powerful enough and is used for chronic disorders of the functioning of the intrasecretory glands.
• "Apollo-IVA". This drug has the ability to stimulate the immune and endocrine systems.

Operative intervention

Surgical methods are considered the most effective in the treatment of endocrine pathologies. However, if possible, they resort to them last. One of the direct indications for the appointment of surgery is a tumor that threatens human life. Given the severity of the pathology can be removed part of the gland or organ completely. When cancerous tumors are removed and the tissue near the foci.

Folk methods of treatment of endocrine system diseases

Due to the fact that a large number of medicines presented today in the network of pharmacies, has a synthetic basis and has a number of contraindications, more and more popular is the treatment with herbs. However, it should be noted that the use of herbal remedies without consulting a specialist can be dangerous. Among the most common recipes, we note a few. So, for hyperthyroidism, an herbal collection is used, which includes the root of white lapchatka (4 parts), cattle herb (3 h), oregano (3 h), peppermint (leaves), motherwort (1 h). Raw materials need to take two tablespoons. Collect the poured boiling water (five hundred milliliters) and insist throughout the night in the thermos. In the morning it is filtered. Take should be 1/2 cup before meals three times a day. Duration of admission is two months. After two or three months, repeat the course.

Obese people are recommended decoctions and infusions, reducing appetite and increasing the excretion of the body from interstitial fluid. Regardless of what kind of people's prescription is chosen, the funds should be used only after visiting the doctor.