Further Approach Toward Control of Spontaneous Cancer of Mammary Gland in Mice by Heptyl Aldehyde-Sodium Bisulphite

Evidence has been presented that demonstrates quite convincingly that the growth rate and fate of spontaneous carcinoma of the mammary gland in mice may be significantly influenced by heptyl aldehyde. 1 The effect of liquefaction (both partial and in some cases complete) together with a slower growth rate and complete disappearance of the tumor mass could be brought about by the introduction into the organism of the drug either by the diet or by subcutaneous injection (at areas remote to the spontaneous tumor). One of the limiting factors in the introduction of the material through the diet is the fact that the resulting mixed food becomes so bitter with the larger effective doses that the normal food habits of the mouse may be interfered with. The greatest limiting factor of the injection technic is that local ulceration is sometimes quite pronounced.

In a recent paper, it was pointed out that in order to influence malignancy the heptyl aldehyde must be used fresh. It was found that as soon as the heptyl aldehyde-normal diet mix had “aged” even for a few days the efficacy of the drug was greatly diminished. One way of “protecting” the precocious deterioration of the heptyl aldehyde was the addition to it of a small amount of methyl salicylate —that is, to approach more or less the chemical situation in the original true or natural oil of Gaultheria. 2 Since, however, the heptyl aldehyde undergoes oxidation readily, one may prohibit or delay, to a certain extent, this change by either of two methods: (1) the addition of a known anti-oxidant, such as salicylic aldehyde to it, or (2) the combining of it with such a chemical as sodium bisulphite.