Toluene
Toluene, also known as methylbenzene or phenylmethane, belongs to the class of organic compounds known as toluenes. Toluenes are compounds containing a benzene ring which bears a methane group. Toluene is a drug which is used for the removal of ascarids (toxocara canis and toxascaris leonina) and hookworms (ancylostoma caninum and uncinaria stenocephala) and as an aid in removing tapeworms (taenia pisiformis, dipylidium caninum, and echinococcus granulosus) from dogs and cats. Toluene is possibly neutral. Toluene exists in all living species, ranging from bacteria to humans. Toluene is a sweet and paint tasting compound. Toluene is found, on average, in the highest concentration within a few different foods, such as black walnuts, rosemaries, and corianders and in a lower concentration in milk (cow) and kohlrabis. Toluene has also been detected, but not quantified, in several different foods, such as prickly pears, citrus, yellow bell peppers, apples, and garden tomato (var.). This could make toluene a potential biomarker for the consumption of these foods. Toluene is a potentially toxic compound. Toluene, with regard to humans, has been found to be associated with several diseases such as pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, perillyl alcohol administration for cancer treatment, autism, and asthma; toluene has also been linked to the inborn metabolic disorder celiac disease. Isolated from distilled tolu balsam (Myroxylon balsamum). Minor constituent of lime oil (Citrus aurantifolia) D012997 - Solvents
