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Comparative cytotoxicity between butylated hydroxytoluene and its methylcarbamate derivative, terbucarb, on isolated rat hepatocytes

Journal Article · · Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00194137· OSTI ID:6870610
; ;  [1]
  1. Tokyo Metropolitan Research Lab. of Public Health (Japan)

Butylated hydroxytoluene (3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxytoluene; BHT) is widely used as phenolic antioxidant in processed foods, cosmetics and petroleum products. It is well known that high doses of BHT cause acute hepatic damage accompanied by centrilobular necrosis in rats. The hepatic damage is associated with prolonged depletion of glutathione (GSH). Terbucarb (2,6-di-tert-butyl-para-tolyl-methylcarbamate), which has a methylcarbamate group substituted for the phenol group on BHT, was developed as an insecticide and is also presently used as a herbicide on turfgrass. Despite the metabolic and toxicological details known about BHT in vivo and in vitro, no extensive studies have been reported on the metabolism and toxicity of Terbucarb. The isolated hepatocyte system provides a very useful system for the study of the temporal sequences leading to cell damage caused by chemicals and drugs. Here, using freshly isolated rat hepatocytes, we report on the comparative toxic effects of BHT and its methylcarbamate derivative, Terbucarb. 17 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.

OSTI ID:
6870610
Journal Information:
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (United States), Journal Name: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (United States) Vol. 52:4; ISSN 0007-4861; ISSN BECTA6
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English