Formaldehyde Produced During Metabolism Of Dmso

[farmerMark]

"Production of Formaldehyde during Metabolism of Dimethyl Sulfoxide by Hydroxyl Radical Generating Systems" by Klein, Cohen, and Cederbaum, states that "evidence is presented that formaldehyde is produced during the interaction of dimethyl sulfoxide with hydroxyl radicals. Formaldehyde, rather than methane, represents a major product of this interaction. Three model hydroxyl radical generating system were used in this investigation. They were (1) the oxidation of xanthine by xanthine oxidase, (2) the iron catalyzed oxidation of ascorbic acid, and (3) NADPH-dependent electron transfer by rat liver microsomes. Formaldehyde was produced from dimethyl sulfoxide in a time-dependent manner by all three systems."
"IN VIEW OF THE PRODUCTION OF FORMALDEHYDE, DIMETHYL SULFOXIDE SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED TO BE AN INERT SOLVENT IN BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS. The possibility that formaldehyde is a metabolite of the in vivo metabolism of dimethyl sulfoxide remains to be evaluated."
According to Wikipedia, the biological significance of hydroxyl radicals: "Hydroxyl radicals can occasionally be produced as a byproduct of immune action. Macrophages and mcroglia most frequently generate this compound when exposed to very specific pathogens, such as certain bacteria."
So it is certainly true that hydroxyl radicals can be within us to react with the DMSO. As for formaldehyde,
"Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity of Formaldehyde: A Systematic Review", (PMC3203331)

 

[Parsifal]

Might explain why I think this stuff doesn't really agree with me.

 

[Tarmander]

They put formaldehyde in vaccines, and they say vaccines are safe, so formaldehyde must be A-OK!

 

[stokesman]

Joel Brind says your liver can make glycine out of formaldehyde, ammonia and carbon dioxide. If true, that doesn't mean it's harmless but at least we can do something useful with it.

 

[Infoleech]

Body uses self made formaldehyde in DNA repair and synthesis

 

[richofden]

Glycine to the rescue: [Glycine in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia] - PubMed As many as 98 patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia were given myeglynol (glycine) in a dose of 110 mg/kg a day for 4-5 weeks. A noticeable effect manifesting in the counteracting painful paroxysms was attained in more than 86% of cases. The drug was administered alone at the disease onset. The treatment effect of myeglynol may be related to its capacity to decrease to normal the high concentration of formaldehyde in the blood serum of patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia.