What is BHT used for?

What is BHT used for?

BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) is a lab-made chemical that is added to foods as a preservative. People also use it as medicine. BHT is used to treat genital herpes and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

What are pharmaceutical antioxidants?

Antioxidants are emerging as prophylactic and therapeutic agents. These are the agents, which scavenge free radicals otherwise reactive oxygen species and prevent the damage caused by them.

Is the commonly antioxidants used in pharmaceutical industry?

Some of the most widely used antioxidants in pharmaceutical products and/or the food industry include cysteine (CYS) (Kartal et al., 2007), sodium metabi- sulfite (SMB) (Maia et al., 2007), propyl gallate (PG) (Chilson et al., 1950), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) (Williams et al., 1999) and butylated hydroxyanisole ( …

Why are antioxidants included in some pharmaceutical preparations?

Antioxidants are introduced to improve the shelf life of pharmaceuticals. The term oxidation can be defined as the incorporation of oxygen into the structure of a drug, or as the process of converting one chemical substance into another derivative bearing a smaller number of electrons (Smith, March, 2007).

Is BHT harmful to humans?

There is no scientific evidence that BHT is harmful in the amounts used in packaged food. Indeed, in small amounts, it may have anticancer effects similar to those provided by naturally occurring antioxidants.

What are the side effects of BHT?

Health and Environmental Hazards Long-term exposure to high doses of BHT is toxic in mice and rats, causing liver, thyroid and kidney problems and affecting lung function and blood coagulation [4]. BHT can act as a tumour promoter in certain situations [5].

What are the three types of antioxidants?

Antioxidants can be divided into three groups by their mechanism: (1) primary antioxidants, which function essentially as free radical terminators (scavengers); (2) secondary antioxidants, which are important preventive antioxidants that function by retarding chain initiation; and (3) tertiary antioxidants, which are …

Is antioxidant good for health?

A diet high in antioxidants may reduce the risk of many diseases (including heart disease and certain cancers). Antioxidants scavenge free radicals from the body cells and prevent or reduce the damage caused by oxidation. The protective effect of antioxidants continues to be studied around the world.

What are pharmaceutical preservatives?

PHARMACEUTICAL PRESERVATIVES Preservatives are the chemical substances used to improve or amplify shelf life of drugs by decreasing or lowering the oxidation of active and Excipients and by reducing microbial production 5. 6.

How does antioxidant work?

These defenders are labeled “antioxidants.” They work by generously giving electrons to free radicals without turning into electron-scavenging substances themselves. They are also involved in mechanisms that repair DNA and maintain the health of cells.

What are some examples of antioxidants?

Examples of antioxidants include vitamins C and E, selenium, and carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.