INCREASE OF ALDEHYDIC COMPOUNDS DERIVED FROM PLASMALOGENS IN THE BRAIN OF AGED CATTLE

The content of plasmalogens in bovine brain was investigated with resp ect to age. No difference between the plasmalogen content in brain of young and old individuals was detected. In old individuals, plasmaloge ns suffer much easier hydrolysis to corresponding aldehydes than in yo ung ones. In addition, the brain of old animals contain an approx. 30- fold higher amount of free aldehydes and plasmalogen epoxides compared to young ones. Aldehydes, as well as derived alpha-hydroxyaldehydes, were trapped by addition of pentafluorobenzylaminehydrochloride. The r esulting pentafluorobenzyloxime derivatives were enriched by thin-laye r chromatography, transferred to trimethylsilyl derivatives and furthe r investigated by GC/MS. Quantification was achieved by GC/FID as well as by GC/ECD.