A New Tri-atomic Alcohol from the Urine of Pregnant Women.

Abstract

has been obtained from the urine of pregnant women. This alcohol has been isolated in the form of snow white crystals. The melting point by the open beaker method of 5 different preparations was 273", 273", 273", 272.3", 272" (uncorrected). The crystals melted sharply without decomposition. The molecular weight determination by Rast's micro procedure gave an average value of 294. The iodine numbers of 3 different preparations were 85.3,86.2, and 88.5. The average of these values, 86.7, permits one to calculate a molecular weight of 292.8 if one double bond is assumed. Determination of the number of hydroxyls in 2 samples by the procedure of Peterson and West7 indicates that 3 atoms of oxygen exist in this form. Found 124, 129; theory 129 gms. of CH,C = 0 per mole. The average molecular weight of the triacetyl derivative is 410. M. P. 126" uncorrected.The specific rotation of a 0.322% solution in 95% ethyl alcohol at 28" in a 2 dm. tube with a sodium flame was +68.3". Another sample (0.148%) gave a value of +72.8".

Studies on the Interactions of Oestriol and Progesterone

“…Since oestriol was discovered in the urine of pregnant women over 30 years ago (Doisy, Mayer, Levinand & Curtis, 1930;Marrian, 1930), most workers have considered it simply as a metabolite of oestrone and oestradiol, an excretory product of no further physiological significance. More recently, interest in this material has increased.…”

Steroidal estrogens

“…Although there exists a vast amount of experimental data pertinent to the biosynthesis of estrogens in different tissues in a variety of species, there is no doubt that the emphasis has been, and still is, on the sequence of events in the human. Estrogens have been isolated primarily from the urine of pregnant women (16), and the three major estrogens are estrone (68,111), estradiol (267), and estriol (110,272). A number of other estrogens have also been identified, and in some cases their biosynthesis has been investigated to a limited extent.…”

The FORMATION OF ESTRIOL FROM ESTRADIOL-17β BY THE HUMAN FETAL ADRENAL TISSUE

“…Although it has long been recognized that estriol is the major phenolic steroid excreted in the urine of pregnant women (Doisy et al, 1930;Marrian, 1930), the mechanism of its formation in pregnancy is not fully understood. (Breuer et al, 1958a: Hagopian et al, 1958 and chicken (Mitchell and Hobkirk, 1959) liver as well as fetal (Breuer, 1959: Engel et al, 1959 and adult (Breuer, 1959) …”