Poisoning by butylated hydroxytoluene quinone methide acting as a superwarfarin: first reported case in humans.

Abstract

Superwarfarins are anticoagulant rodenticides nearly 100-fold potent than the parent compound. Since their development, accidental and intentional cases of superwarfarin poisoning have been reported. We report the first human case of poisoning by butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) quinone methide acting as a superwarfarin otherwise reported to be a well tolerated food additive and preservative and used as an antioxidant, stabilizer, anti-skinning agent in various industries. We aim to highlight the possible underlying cause of this previously unreported and potentially lethal BHT-related complication in the human.