GB400520A - A process for obtaining female sexual hormones - Google Patents

Abstract

Female sexual hormones are obtained in crystalline condition from crude products extracted from animal or human urine by treatment of the crude products in presence of water, but in absence of organic solvents, with a hydroxide or monoxide of a metal of the second periodic group until an easily disintegrated powder is obtained, filtering off the powder, acidifying the filtrate and aqueous washings of the powder, extracting with a solvent immiscible with water and purifying the extract in known manner. According to one example, a butanol extract of the urine of a pregnant female is distilled to remove the solvent, and steam distilled to remove volatile impurities. The residue is repeatedly kneaded with milk of lime, the clear liquid being decanted, until the resinous mass is broken down to powder. The final suspension is filtered and the powder is ground with water containing calcium hydroxide and again filtered and extracted with water. The united aqueous extracts are acidified and extracted with ether free from peroxide, or with benzene, ethyl acetate, butanol or chloroform. The ether extract is washed, first with dilute sodium bicarbonate solution and then with dilute sodium carbonate solution, and evaporated to small volume. The crusts of crystallized hormone which form are mixed with ethyl acetate, kept for some time at -10 DEG C., filtered off, dissolved in boiling alcohol and decolorized with animal charcoal. The solution is filtered, evaporated in a water bath until crystallization begins, cooled to -10 DEG C. and the crystals filtered off. A hormone of melting point 272-276 DEG C. is thus obtained. A further crystalline hormone of M.P. 250 DEG C. may be obtained from the residue on evaporation of the ethyl chloride mother liquor. According to another example a somewhat similar process is employed, but the steam distilled residue of a butanol extract of urine is again steam distilled with milk of lime before treatment with milk of lime to obtain a powder, and the crystalline mixture of hormones remaining after evaporation of the ether extract, is extracted with 1 per cent caustic soda lye, the extract filtered, and the filtrate again extracted with ether. The ether is evaporated to leave a resinous substance, which on addition of ethylacetate with or without petroleum ether yields crystals of composition C18H22O2 melting at 256 -258 DEG C. The caustic soda solution which has been extracted with ether is saturated with carbon dioxide and again extracted with ether. This ether solution yields crystals of composition C18H24O3 melting at 276-277 DEG C. Other examples are given wherein milk of lime is replaced by a suspension of magnesia, barium hydroxide or zinc oxide, or the initial material to be treated is an ether extract of urine. The urine of pregnant mares may be employed. The treatment of ovaries or placenta or extracts thereof with alkaline earth hydroxides is referred to as already known.