Die Lipoide des menschlichen Rückenmarks

Abstract

In the 1st expt., the spinal cords from 7 (214 g.), and in the 2nd expt. those from 22 adults (707 g.), were cut into small slices 2-3 mm. thick, and extracted with acetone and ether. The brains of 2 senile adults (2300 g.) were treated in the same way. Analysis of the H26, acetone and ether extracts showed that 100 g. of dry spinal cord and brain substance contained respectively, in g.: H2O extractive substance, 4.9-5.4 and 9.6; fat and cholesterol, 14.8-19.7 and 13.4; ether soluble glycerophos-phatides, 19.1-29.5 and 25.0; sphingomyelin, 2.6-2.8 and 0.9; cerebrosides, 5.1-6.2 and 6.4; gangliosides, 0.0-0.03 and 0.3. The % H2O in spinal cord was 74.5-75.0, while that in brain was 80.2. Splitting of 23.3 g. of the glycerophosphatides of spinal cord with methyl alcoholic KOH, followed by esterification, gave 10.5 g. methyl ester of saturated and weakly unsaturated, and 1.9 g. of highly unsaturated fatty acids. Splitting of 5 g. of the cerebrosides with methyl alcoholic H2SO4 gave sphingosine and 1.07 g. saturated acids from which 0.4 g. cerebronic and 0.07 g. lignoceric acids were obtained. An unsaturated acid was also isolated from which 0.14 g. hydroxynervonic and 0.49 g. nervonic acids were obtained.