On the Inositol of Brain and its Preparation

Abstract

Shortl1 after Scherer's [1850] discoverv of inositol in muscle, von Bibra [1854] carried out a careful but unsuccessful search for this substance in brain. The presence of inositol in brain was first demonstrated by W. Muller

Studies on Inositol

“…The sample obtained in the experiment given above melted at 221°and when examined in the polarimeter, in comparison with a sample of i-inositol prepared from phytin, failed to exhibit any optical activity. The conclusion is that the inositols of ox muscle, ox brain, human brain, and phytin, are identical, the last three having been shown to be so by Momose [1916].…”

“…W. Muller [1857] departed from this practice, however, by grinding wet brain tissue with neutral lead acetate, and Rosenberger [1908,2] by boiling the tissue with potash, and subsequent alternate treatment with nitric acid and baryta. Both methods were most unsatisfactory; the former because it gave very impure samples of inositol, and the latter because of its drastic nature-"any inositol, which has survived this prolonged treatment," as Momose [1916] says, "being precipitated by lead in the usual way." Momose, working on a suggestion of Rosenheim's, discovered that very good yields of inositol from brain tissue were to be obtained by working up the first watery acetone extract.…”

The determination of inositol in animal tissues

“…Rosenberger [1908] based his method on the stabiiity of inositol to hot alkalis and destroyed the tissue with boiling potash solution. Momose [1916], acting on a suggestion of Rosenheim's, found that inositol can easily be extracted from fresh brain by means of acetone. Inositol is insoluble in acetone but is readily soluble in the aqueous acetone formed as the tissue is dehydrated.…”

“…Inositol is insoluble in acetone but is readily soluble in the aqueous acetone formed as the tissue is dehydrated. By combining the acetone extractionwith the classical method of isolation Momose [1916] was able to obtain more inositol from brain than by applying the extraction procedures used by Scherer and Muller. Needham [1923, 1] used the acetone method and found that with butcher's beef-muscle no further amounts of inositol were obtained by a second extraction with acetone.…”

“…On the basis of the work of Momose [1916] and Needham [1923, 1] it was resolved to use the acetone method of extraction. It was found that when the tissue after acetone extraction was subjected to treatment with 70 % acetone it yielded an extract which contained inositol.…”