title: A pilot study of the effect of (e, e)-2, 4-undecadienal on the offensive odour of trimethylamine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Trimethylaminuria is a malodour syndrome caused by a functional defect of flavin-containing monoxygenase 3 (FMO3), resulting in accumulation of trimethylamine in body secretions. Recently, (E, E)-2, 4-undecadienal has been shown to deodorize the offensive odour of cooked porcine intestines (chitlins). We tested the deodorizing effect of commercially available (E, E)-2, 4-undecadienal on the odour of trimethylamine (TMA) in solution.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven volunteers among staff of the Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a study in three stages. In the first stage,12 volunteers sniffed and graded a commercially available trimethylamine at variable concentrations (12.5-10,000 μmol/L). Those who could smell trimethylamine scored the odour of mixtures of (E, E)-2, 4-undecadienal and trimethylamine. Finally, the odour of trimethylamine was graded with increasing concentrations of (E, E)-2, 4-undecadienal (0.1-100 ppm).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All except one could detect the characteristic trimethylamine odour at varying concentrations (12.5-10,000 μmol/L) and reported the odour as offensive and fish like. There was a dose response effect of the ability of (E, E)-2, 4-undecadienal to deodorize the odour of trimethylamine. (E, E)-2, 4-undecadienal at 10 ppm appeared to deodorize the odour of trimethylamine at 1,000 μmol/L without making the former's odour obvious.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have demonstrated that (E, E)-2, 4-undecadienal has a deodorizing effect on the offensive odour of trimethylamine in solution. The mechanism of action for this effect and potential for treatment of affected individuals needs further research.
authors: Genetic Metabolic Disorders Service, Western Sydney Genetics Program, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Pankaj
authors: P
authors: Garg
authors: Kevin
authors: K
authors: Carpenter
authors: Shanley
authors: S
authors: Chong
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Christodoulou