CARDIAC EFFECTS OF SOME SIMPLE ALIPHATIC ALDEHYDES

¹ Section on Cardiovascular Research, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan

In 80 dogs anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (30 mg/kg i.v.), the cardiac effects of some simple aliphatic aldehydes were studied, utilizing direct perfusion of the sinus node through its nutrient artery and also i.v. administration. Acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde and but yraldehyde produced an immediate sympathomimetic action, manifested by sinus tachycardia and arterial hypertension, but had no significant effect on Q-T interval. Formaldehyde amid glutaraldehyde produced Q-T prolongation, and thereby ventricular fibrillation, but had no significant sympathomimetic effect. Formic acid, acetic acid, methanol, ethanol and other closely related substances produced neither sympathomimetic activity nor Q-T prolongation. On examining the structure of the active substances, it was determined that the sympathomimetic activity of aliphatic aldehydes depends on the presene of a terminal aldehyde and a free contralateral, nearby terminal methyl group, and that this action was stromigest in the compound containing only these two essential groups (acetaldehyde). The Q-T prolonging effect is directly caused by the aldehyde group, and the presence of neighboring free methyl or hvdroxyl groups eliminated this effect.

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