The effect of the antioxidants, butylated hydroxy anisole, butylated hydroxy toluene and propyl gallate on growth, liver and serum lipids and serum sodium levels of the rat.

Abstract

SUMMARYConfirmation of our previous finding that there are greater hazards in the use of butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT) than in that of butylated hydroxy anisole (BHA) as antioxidants for use in human foodstuffs was obtained. BHA and propyl gallate (PG) met one of the requirements for safety as a food additive. A sex difference in the effect of BHT was noted; BHT increased the relative weight of the male adrenal and had a greater deleterious effect on the growth rate of the male than of the female rat. A straight line relationship existed between the dietary level of BHT and the serum cholesterol level. When fed at the level of 0·1 p.c. of the diet, BHA increased the level of total serum cholesterol but no further elevations occurred at higher dosages. There was a relatively greater increase in the amount of serum free cholesterol than of ester cholesterol when BHA or BHT were fed. PG had no effect on the serum cholesterol levels. BHT increased both free and esterified adrenal cholesterol, a greater increase being noted in the latter. Although BHA and BHT produced increases in the size of the male adrenal none of the marked histological changes recorded by other workers using lethal doses of these antioxidants in the rabbit were apparent. The antioxidants had no effect on the concentration in the liver of the total and esterified cholesterol, total lipid or on the composition of the polyunsaturated fatty acids. However, as the liver weight was increased by BHA or BHT the absolute lipid content of the liver was increased.