PREPARATION OF RELAXIN FROM SOW CORPORA LUTEA RESIDUE1

Abstract

Tissue pulp, obtained by washing ground sow corpora lutea with methanol to secure ovarian steroids, was extracted with 2% HC1[long dash]1 M. NaCl soln. The active material, relaxin, was precipitated from the neutralized extract by saturation with (NH4)2SO4. The precipitate was dialyzed, and from the resulting soln., further impurities were removed by acidification to pH 0.75 with HC1, followed by adjustment to pH 3.6 in the presence of NaCl. After concn. of the horfnone by precipitation with 0.75 saturation (NH4)2SO4, the hormone extract was fractionated between 0.33 and 0.66 saturation (NH4)2SO4 and then between 47 and 85% ethyl alc. at 5[degree]C, pH 7.5 and in the presence of 1% NaCl. The dried powder had an activity of between 20,000-30,000 units/g., a purification of about 5,000 times with a yield of about 50%.