Hydrolysis of Conjugated Steroids by Bacterial Glucuronidase

Abstract

Bacterial glucuronidase obtained from cultures of Escherichia coli quantitatively hydrolyzed the glucuronides of estriol, preg-nanediol, menthol and phenolphthalein. Its effect on the conjugated steroids of urine was compared with that of HC1. In most instances, the glucuronidase liberated more estrogen than was obtained by acid hydrolysis, as detd. by both colorimetric and biological assays. Somewhat smaller amts. of 17-ketosteroids of pregnancy urine and the urine of normal men were hydrolyzed by glucuronidase than by HC1. Preliminary studies indicate that this bacterial enzyme markedly increases the extractable cortical steroids of urine of normal men.