Benzone
|
|
Benzone, formally phenylbutazone, is a crystalline substance having the structure shown at right.
- Structural name: 4-Butyl-1,2-diphenyl-3,5-pyrazolidinedione
- Chemical formula: C19H20N2O2
It is used as a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) for the treatment of chronic pain, including the symptoms of arthritis. Its use is limited by its side-effect of suppressing the production of white blood cells by bone marrow and sometimes causing aplastic anemia.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) places it in Group 3, i.e., "not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans".
Benzone is also used as a class name for the active ingredients in sunscreen that end in "benzone" (such as oxybenzone, dioxybenzone, avobenzone, and sulisobenzone), which are chemically unrelated benzophenone derivatives. These chemicals offer protection against UVB.
External links
- IARC monograph on carcinogenicity of phenylbutazone (http://193.51.164.11/htdocs/monographs/suppl7/phenylbutazone.html)