X-Message-Number: 6986
Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 19:50:59 -0700 (PDT)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: Inhibiting Glycerol Toxicity

 Note: Permission is here given for any cryonics related newsletter to 
       publish this little article if they so desire.

                 INHIBITING GLYCEROL TOXICITY
                     By Doug Skrecky

     Glycerol is metabolized to formaldehyde by living tissue. In isolated
 rat liver microsomes BHT, DMSO, mannitol, SOD, trolox and vitamin E had
 no effect on glycerol catalyzed formaldehyde production. However at a
 dosage of 0.01 mM the iron chelators desferrioxamine, DTPA and EDTA as
 well as the antioxident propyl gallate inhibited formaldehyde production
 by 95%, 88%, 86% and 91% respectively. Since the lipid soluble propyl
 gallate alone has the ability to readily penetrate cell membranes it is
 the clear first choice to protect against glycerol toxicity. It appears
 that the addition of propyl gallate to all glycerol solutions currently
 used by cryobiologists and cryonics companies is mandated. 

 Reference:
 "Role of Iron, Hydrogen Peroxide and Reactive Oxygen Species in
 Microsomal Oxidation of Glycerol to Formaldehyde" Archives of
 Biochemistry and Biophysics Vol.285 No.1 83-89 February 15,1991


Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=6986