Reports that Tributyrin is being used in some German clinics prompted the following investigation. It constitutes 4 to 5 percent by weight of ordinary cow's butter. Butyric acid is used industrially as an ingredient in the manufacture of some liqueurs, syrups, and candies. It can also be created synthetically through the fermenation of various carbohydrates. Unlikely as it may seem, butyric acid and its derivatives are also being seriously considered around the world as potential anticancer agents.
Many agents can kill cancer cells, a process called cytotoxicity.
The main problem with BA as a drug is that it is rapidly metabolized and cleared from the human body by our very efficient detoxification system. Tributyrin is a modification that eventually turns into butyric acid inside the human body. Administering BA in this way keeps it around longer and able to work its magic on cancer cells. And, indeed, just as the theory predicted, in test tube studies it increased the effectiveness of BA by three to four times. This work is being done at the U.S. National Cancer Institute.