Über Lacertofulvin, den gelben Farbstoff der Eidechsenhaut

Abstract

About 250 ml. of acetone extract of the skins of 100 lizards (Lacerta sicula) are treated with 500 ml. of petroleum ether and much water. The yellow lipochrome pigment, lacertofulvin, passes into the petroleum ether layer, which is washed with water and dried with Na2SO4. The petroleum ether is evaporated, and the residue saponified by heating 3 hrs. with 12% methanolic KOH. The mixture is diluted with water and extracted with gasoline, washed with 90% methanol, and dried. The gasoline soln. is chromatographed on a column containing an upper layer of Al2O3, and a lower layer of CaCO3. The chromatogram is developed with gasoline-benzene (5:1). Most of the lacertofulvin pigment is adsorbed on the upper part of the Al2O3, and the [alpha]- and [BETA]-carotene form 2 bands below. The methanolic phase, washings etc., are extracted with gasoline (b. p. 70-80[degree]), which is chromatographed in a similar manner, and the xanthophylls are adsorbed on the CaCO3. The column is now eluted with methanol-gasoline and petroleum ether, the absorption bands of the solns. detd. with the Lowe-Schumm spectroscope, and the above pigments thus identified. The xanthophylls are similar to lutein. The hydrocarbon with bands at 504, 471 and 441 m[mu], in CS2 soln., is considered to be lacertofulvin.