EVALUATION OF THE POSSIBLE ENDOCRINE DISRUPTIVE EFFECT OF BUTYLATED HYDROXYANISOLE, BUTYLATED HYDROXYTOLUENE AND PROPYL GALLATE IN IMMATURE FEMALE RATS

We evaluated the possible endocrine disruptive effect of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) (300mg/kg bw), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) (75mg/kg bw) and propyl gallate (PG) (405mg/kg bw), compounds extensively used as antioxidants in foods, food packaging, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals using the immature rat uterotrophic assay. To investigate their estrogenic and/or antiestrogenic effect we used 17-21 days old Wistar female rats that were given suspensions of the studied compounds for three consecutive days. Absolute and relative uterus weights were significantly decreased by all three compounds, while endometrial epithelium thickness was significantly affected only by propyl gallate when compared to the negative control. The data obtained from the present study suggests that BHA, BHT and PG indeed have endocrine disruptive effects on Wistar prepubescent female rats, the most aggressive compound being PG.