Introduction

In recent years, the studies on reactive oxygen species (ROS), free radicals and antioxidants are generating medical revolution by promising a good health and disease management [1]. The free radicals and ROS can be developed inside the human body either through the normal metabolic process or external sources such as pollutants, industrial chemicals, and cigarette smoking, etc. [2]. An antioxidant is a molecule that neutralises these free radicals by donating an electron to them. They prevent the oxidative reaction that is responsible for various chronic degenerative diseases viz. cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders, etc. [3]. Besides, in the pharmaceutical industry, the safety, efficacy and stability of drug formulations are affected by various physical factors like humidity, heat, and light [4]. These factors are responsible for several chemical reactions that cause instability such as oxidation, decarboxylation, hydrolysis, and photolysis, etc. [5]. The antioxidants are such excipients that can enhance the shelf-life of the drug by reducing the problem due to oxidation reactions. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) is a monohydric phenol derivative (Figure 1) that provides electrons or protons labile to free radicals and interrupts the chain reaction thereby exerting its antioxidant action [6]. It is used as antioxidant in foods containing fats and oils as they are very susceptible to rancidity and oxidation that destroy the soluble vitamins and fatty acids. BHT prevents this rancidification by terminating the free radical chain reactions [7,8]. It helps in food preservation by preventing any change in flavour and slowing the rancidity and discoloration processes [9]. Moreover, it is also added in personal care products to prevent oxidative rancidity thereby disagreeable smell [10]. The antioxidants are also added in several manufacturing processes to protect the raw material and end product from deleterious effects of high temperature and pressure [11]. In food preservation process, the thermal stability of antioxidant is very crucial. Several edible oils are used at higher temperature; hence thermal stability of antioxidant is necessary to preserve the unsaturated fatty acid from degradation [12]. Despite several uses, BHT is sensitive to heat, light and humidity and is also known to possess some toxic and flammable properties hence need special precautions during storage, handling, and transportation [13,14]. Moreover, BHT is reported to decompose at low temperature due to which it offers very less protection to heated vegetable oils [15]. Thus, it is important to search some alternate strategies, which could improve the stability of BHT by altering their physical, thermal or structural and bonding properties. Nowadays, biofield energy treatment is known to alter physicochemical properties of various organic and metallic compounds [16-19]. The biofield energy healing therapies are considered as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)/National Institute of Health (NIH) and are based on alteration in putative energy fields and consciousness [20,21]. The biofield energy is related to the energy associated with the human body that depends upon the physiological and mental health of the human. This energy can be exchanged with the environment through natural exchange process [22]. A human has the ability to harness the energy from environment or universe and can transmit in any living or non-living object(s) around the Universe. The objects always receive the energy and responding in a useful way, this process is known as biofield energy treatment. Moreover, the biofield therapies are reported for the reduction in pain, anxiety and tension [23]. Mr. Trivedi is well known to possess the unique biofield energy treatment (The Trivedi Effect® ) which is reported to alter the properties such as growth and yield of plants in the field of agriculture [24,25]. The effect was also reported on phenotypic characters of microorganisms in the field of microbiology [26,27]. Hence, the present study was designed to analyse the impact of biofield energy treatment on various physicochemical properties of BHT using XRD, DSC, TGA/DTG, FT-IR and UV-Vis spectroscopic techniques.

Materials and Methods

Material procurement

Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) was procured from S D Fine Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., India. After procurement, the BHT sample was divided into two parts; coded as control and treated, and stored as per manufacturer’s guidelines. Treatment modality The treated part was subjected to Mr. Trivedi’s biofield energy treatment. For this, the treated sample was handed over to Mr. Trivedi in sealed pack for biofield energy treatment under standard laboratory conditions. Mr. Trivedi provided the treatment to the treated group through his energy transmission process. The biofield treated sample was returned in the same sealed condition for further characterization using XRD, DSC, TGA, FT-IR and UV-Vis spectroscopic techniques.