Salicylaldehyde

Salicylaldehyde is a substituted phenol with weak acid activity and tissue corrosive potential. It is a minor constituent of cassia oils.

Skin. Undiluted material was moderately to severely irritating to rabbit skin. At 2 percent on 33 volunteers it was neither irritating nor sensitizing. Among 747 dermatitis patients suspected of fragrance allergy, 1 reacted to 2 percent salicylaldehyde, a rate of 0.13 percent.

Oral. Acute oral LD50 in rats was 520 mg/kg. Acute subcutaneous LD50 was 900 mg/kg. Minimum lethal dose was 1.0 g/kg. Acute dermal LD50 in rabbits was 3.0 g/kg.

Subchronic. Rats fed 2 percent dietary salicylaldehyde for 13 days showed marked decrease in cytoplasmic basophilic bodies in liver cells and depletion of zymogen granules from pancreatic acinar cells.

Reproductive. Subcutaneous administration at 136 mg/kg in pregnant rats caused significant increases in fetal resorptions at 17.9 percent, malformations at 20.9 percent and toxicity at 46.1 percent. The compound induced maternal hypocalcemia, possibly related to the fetal toxicity.

Liver. Salicylaldehyde inhibited hepatocyte respiration and depleted hepatocyte glutathione, with appreciable cytotoxicity.

Mutagenicity. Not mutagenic in the Ames test. Did not induce SCE in human lymphocytes.

After oxidation, salicylic acid is the major metabolite in rabbits, cats and dogs.

Salicylaldehyde toxicity contributes in part to the toxicity profile of cassia oil, though cassia oil contains other compounds such as cinnamaldehyde with greater toxicity.