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Benzofuran, a synthetic resin made from coal tar, is used in manufacturing and food packaging. It can be found in water, air, soil, and breast milk. Exposure can occur through food, plastic containers, citrus peels, or skin contact. While it may provide anticancer benefits, it is advised to avoid direct exposure and drinking contaminated water. A study found that benzofuran derivatives from the dracaena plant inhibit tumor growth and fight bacteria.
Benzofuran is made from an oily chemical compound extracted from coal tar, which is converted into a synthetic resin used in manufacturing. This colorless liquid can be added to paints and varnishes to increase corrosion resistance and provides water resistance to fabrics and paper. Food packaging suppliers use the resin as an adhesive and it is a common substance in plastic food containers designed for repeated use. A benzofuran derivative occurs naturally in some plants.
Food and drug regulatory agencies permit the use of benzofuran in food containers and packaging at prescribed levels, but no human studies have been conducted to measure exposure risks. This chemical can be present in the water, air, or soil near manufacturing facilities that extract the resin from coal tar. Scientists who have studied waterways near these areas have found no contamination of aquatic life. However, the chemical has been found in breast milk.
Health organizations list possible exposure from consuming food sold in packages that have the adhesive on them or from using plastic containers made with benzofuran. The substance is also added to citrus peels, which is another route of exposure. Direct exposure can occur by skin contact.
Benzofuran can be inhaled in the air near hazardous waste facilities that store it or adjacent to industrial plants that convert coal tar into resin. It is also found in cigarettes. Scientists advise against drinking water contaminated by the compound or touching it directly. Nursing mothers with the substance in their breast milk are advised to stop breastfeeding their infants.
The level of benzofuran in breast milk and blood can be tested, but testing is considered complex and not readily available during routine physical exams. These tests only identify recent exposure, and there is no reliable evidence to determine how long benzofuran stays in the human body. It is not classified as a carcinogen and may provide anticancer benefits, according to studies using derivatives of the chemical found in plants.
Researchers in India have used synthesized resin derivatives of the dracaena plant in animal studies. They found that the substance inhibited the growth of tumors in vitamin E-deficient rats. The scientists found that disease-fighting cells in the body were not affected, but the chemical caused the harmful cells that cause partial death. the cancer. They suggested possible preventive and chemotherapeutic uses for benzofuran.
The same study also found that the synthetic resin fights staph bacteria and salmonella by inhibiting their growth. The dracaena plant is native to Africa but commonly grown in Asia and Central America. The resin of the plant is used in traditional Asian medicine to prevent cancer.
