Date of Award
7-1936
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
First Advisor
J. Ralph Wells
Keywords
Aldehydes, Complement fixation, Chemical reactions
Abstract
In this problem the effect of certain members of the aldehyde series on the complement-fixation reaction was determined by using formaldehyde, ethyl aldehyde, croton aldehyde, acrolein, cinnamaldehyde, benzaldehyde, and n-butyl aldehyde with typhoid-antityphoid and sheep red cell anti-sheep red cell systems of complement-fixation.
Our findings are summarized as follows:
1. It was found that formalin in the concentration of 1:5,667 produces sensitization of the complement-fixation reaction, apparently without altering the specificity of the reaction.
2. Ethyl aldehyde, croton aldehyde, acrolein, cinnamaldehyde benzaldehyde, and n-butyl aldehyde did not produce this sensitizing effect.
3. It was observed that croton aldehyde and acrolein, both being unsaturated aliphatic aldehydes, produced inhibition of the complement fixation reaction in greater dilutions than other aldehydes.
4. Cinnamaldehyde, an unsaturated side chain aromatic aldehyde, reacted no differently than benzaldehyde.
The Evident seems to warrant the following conclusions.
1. The unsaturated aliphatic aldehydes (croton aldehyde and acrolein) used in this study exhibited the ability to inhibit the complement-fixation reaction in greater dilutions (1:8,500 and 1:170,000 dilutions respectively) than the saturated aliphatic aldehydes, the aromatic aldehydes, and the unsaturated side chain aromatic aldehydes. this evidence indicates that at least with the compounds studied, the shorter the carbon chain in the unsaturated aliphatic aldehyde, the greater was the ability to inhibit the complement-fixation reaction.
2. Croton aldehyde, acrolein, and cinnamaldehyde are conjugated aldehydes. since croton aldehyde and acrolein possessed the power of inhibition in high dilution and cinnamaldehyde did not exhibit this property, it would appear that conjugation was not the prime factor in the inhibition of the reaction.
3. The findings of Reyner (1928, 1929) were confirmed in that formalin in the proper concentration produces sensitization of the complement- fixation reaction and apparently does not alter the specificity of the reaction.
Recommended Citation
Burnett, Jack Mehl, "A study of the effect of various members of the aldehyde series on the complement-fixation reaction" (1936). Electronic Theses & Dissertations. 708.
https://digitalcommons.pittstate.edu/etd/708
