What exactly is "Agent Orange"?

Hello Ram,

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Agent Orange is a herbicide and defoliant chemical. It is widely known for its use by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. It is a mixture of equal parts of two herbicides, 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D. In addition to its damaging environmental effects, traces of dioxin (mainly TCDD, the most toxic of its type)found in the mixture have caused major health problems for many individuals who were exposed.

The active ingredient of Agent Orange was an equal mixture of two phenoxy herbicides – 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) – in iso-octyl ester form, which contained traces of the dioxin 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD).

Due to its fat-soluble nature, TCDD enters the body through physical contact or ingestion. Dioxin easily accumulates in the food chain. Dioxin enters the body by attaching to a protein called the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a transcription factor. When TCDD binds to AhR, the protein moves to the nucleus, where it influences gene expression.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Large scale aerial application of weedicides (herbicides) in Vietnam to expose the forests have exterminated the wild relative of Citrus and these auxins were called Agent Orange during Vietnam-US War. Agent Orange is a defoliant chemical which is a mixture of equal parts of two herbicides - 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D.