Excipient (pharmacologically inactive substance)

What is it?

Butylated hydroxyanisole (C11H16O2), also known as BHA, is a food antioxidant that is available dissolved in propylene glycol. Butylated hydroxyanisole comes as a white crystalline powder or a yellowish-white waxy solid. It is used in a wide range of cosmetics, foods, and pharmaceuticals. When used in food products, it delays oxidative rancidity of fats and oils, and prevents loss of activity of oil-soluble vitamins. It may be found in pharmaceutical gels, creams and liquid or gelatin capsules, tablets and other pharmaceutical dosage forms.

Animals studies have shown tumors in rats and mice forestomachs at levels much higher than that consumed by humans. Overall, the evidence does not support the occurrence of tumors when butylated hydroxyanisole is ingested at much lower levels.^[1]