The Chemical Components of Onion Vapors Responsible for Wound-healing Qualities

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Abstract
Propionaldehyde, which was identified in the low-temp, vacuum distillate from onions, is not the lachrymal principle-in the onion. The lachrymal substance is concentrated in such a distillate, and the chem. reactions with it indicate a thioaldehyde. There is good reason for onion vapors having bactericidal and phytoncidal properties, and such vapors are reported to be useful in the healing of wounds. It is not so much the volatility of the thioaldehyde that causes the lachrymating response in cutting an onion, as it is the turgidity and succulence of the onion cell that disperses fine droplets of onion juice. It is apparent from the nature of the components of the onion that these compds. can be made available far more practically by synthesis than by resorting to the natural source.-H. M. Kaplan.

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