Zur Frage des Vorkommens der Glucuronsäure und der Fucose in der Frauenmilch

Abstract

It is shown that the naphthoresorcinol method for glucuronic acid can not be applied to human milk, as other sugars present interfere. Although the test was positive if applied directly there was no evidence for the occurrence of glucuronic acid following separation of the sugars by means of paper chromatography. Application of this technique, however, revealed the presence of considerable amounts of fucose (confirmed by a positive Rimini-reaction). The amount of fucose was particularly large when deproteinization of the milk was accomplished by means of the usual acidic protein precipitating reagents. However, even if deproteinization was carried out with ferric hydroxide, when the pH did not fall below 6.5, small amounts of free fucose were detected; this sugar is thus taken to be a constituent of human milk. Milk of the following animals was found to contain no free fucose; baboon, dog, goat, sheep, cow and pig.