A Study of the Behavior of Di-(Hydroxymethyl)-Peroxide in vivo and in vitro and its Effect on the Catalase Activity of the Blood

Abstract

Some years ago, Winternitz and Rogers (1) showed that the intravenous administration to animals of various substances such as sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide, and others, produced only a temporary effect on the catalase activity of the blood. In many cases, even when the administered substance produced a profound initial change, recovery to normal occurred in a few minutes. Recently Maisin and Pourbaix (2) have reported that intravenous injections of very dilute solutions of the “peroxide of diformaldehyde”— i.e., di-(hydroxymethyl)peroxide—produced a marked effect on the catalase activity of the blood and that this effect persisted for a long period of time. Moreover, Maisin and Robert (3) and Maisin, Pourbaix, and Caeymaex (4) found that the incidence of cancer in mice painted with a benzene solution of benzpyrene was greatly decreased by the injection of the peroxide of diformaldehyde. In view of the suggested physiological effects of this peroxide, it has been considered advisable to study in more detail its chemical behavior and to consider its effect on catalase activity. The stability of di-(hydroxymethyl) peroxide in an aqueous medium at various hydrogen ion concentrations has been studied. In vitro experiments on the effect of various concentrations of this peroxide as well as the effect of possible decomposition products, on the catalase activity of the blood have also been conducted. Finally an attempt has been made to repeat the experiments of Maisin and Pourbaix on the effect of the peroxide on the activity of catalase in blood in vivo. Preparation of Di-(hydroxymethyl)peroxide (HOCH 2 O·O·CH 2 OH): This compound can be prepared easily by the method of Wieland and Wingler. (5). A 40 per cent solution of formaldehyde is shaken with twice its volume of ether. The ether layer represents a 5 per cent solution of formaldehyde. In a similar manner, a 30 per cent solution of hydrogen peroxide is shaken with twice its volume of ether. Here the ether layer represents a 3 per cent solution of peroxide. Both ether solutions are dried separately over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and are then mixed in a ratio of 2 mols of formaldehyde to one mol of hydrogen peroxide. This mixture is then placed in a vacuum desiccator over sulfuric acid and evacuated slightly. After several days an oil forms, which then crystallizes into prisms; these can be recrystal-lized from ether or chloroform and melt at 62–64°. In the dry state the crystals explode violently when scratched or even when rubbed with a glass rod.