Isolation and structure determination,-In 1933-1934 Goldblatt (1, 2) and von Euler (3) independently demonstrated that extracts of human seminal plasma and of the vesicular gland of sheep produce a fall in blood pressure and stimulate a variety of smooth muscle organs. The active material was named prostaglandin by von Euler, who also showed that it was lipid soluble and had acidic properties (4-7).In 1957 Bergstrom & Sjovall isolated two crystalline compounds from the vesicular gland of sheep (8-10). One of these compounds, PGF1cx, possessed smooth muscle stimulating activity and the other, PGE1, also showed strong vasodepressor activity. Later, two additional compounds called PGE2 and PGE 3 were isolated in pure form from the same source by Bergstrom et al. (11). The biological effects of these compounds were similar to those of PGE1•The structure of PGE1 was reported in 1962 by Bergstrom et ai. (12, 13), The salient reactions upon which this structure was based will be briefly discussed. Various physical methods indicated that PGE 1 was a C20 car boxylic acid (C2oH3406) having two hydroxyl groups, one keto group in a five membered ring and one trans double bond. Alkali transformed PGE1 into a derivative with X max at 278 mJ.!. The fragments formed on oxidative ozo nolysis of the acetylated methyl ester of this derivative were separated by gas-liquid chromatography and identified by mass spectrometry. In all, 19 of the 20 carbon atoms could be accounted for as the monomethyl ester of suberic acid, succinic acid, and a-acetoxy-heptanoic acid. Another derivative, prepared by treatment of hydrogenated PGE1 with alkali, was also degraded after treatment with diazomethane and acetylation. Two products, viz., the monomethyl ester of suberic acid and 7-acetoxy-4-ketododecanoic acid, were formed. The structure of the degraded derivative was supported by its ultra violet absorption (X max 237 mJ.!) which was in agreement with the values 1 The survey of the literature pertaining to this review was concluded in September 1964.I The following abbreviations are used: PGE1 (Prostaglandin El-lla,15-dihy droxy-9-keto-prost-13-enoic acid); PGE2 (Prostaglandin E:r-lla,15-dihydroxy-9keto-prosta-5,13-dienoic acid); PGE3 (Prostaglandin E:r-lla-15-dihydroxy-9-keto prosta-S,13,17-trienoic acid); PGF'a (earlier PGF,_,) (Prostaglandin F",-9a,l1a,15trihydroxy-prost-13-enoic acid); PGF'Ii (earlier PGF2_1) (Prostaglandin FIjS-9!3,l1a, IS-trihydroxydroxy-prost-13-enoic acid); PGF2a (earlier PGF'_2) (Prostaglandin F2",-9a,l1a,lS-trihydroxy-prosta-5,13-dienoic acid); PGF21i (earlier PGF2_.) (Pro staglandin F�9,8,l1a,lS-trihydroxy-prosta-5,13-dienoic acid); PGFsa (earlier PGF1_S) (Prostaglandin Fsa-9a,l1a,lS-trihydroxy-prosta-S,13,17-trienoic acid); PGF B!i (earlier PGF2_S) (Prostaglandin F ap-9!3, lla,lS-trihydroxy-prosta-S, 13, 17-tri enoic acid). 101 Annu. Rev. Biochem. 1965.34:101-108. Downloaded from www.annualreviews.org Access provided by Northwestern University -Evanston Campus on 02/07/15. For personal use only. Quick links to online...