ISOLATION OF HYDROCORTISONE AND CORTICOSTERONE FROM HUMAN ADRENAL VEIN BLOOD*

Abstract

In view of the widespread therapeutic use of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and adrenocorticosteroids, the need for ascertaining the nature of the human adrenocortical secretion product scarcely requires emphasis. We wish to report the preliminary results of the examination of human adrenal vein blood taken at operation preceding adrenalectomy. A 500-ml. sample of adrenal vein blood was taken from a white male patient with metastatic prostatic carcinoma, who had previously been gonadectomized for this condition. Just previous to operation the patient received 25 I.U. of ACTH intramuscularly and during the course of the operation 50 I.U. of ACTH dissolved in the blood being transfused intravenously. An isopropyl acetate extract of the adrenal vein blood was chromatographed on a silica gel column, using the method of Romanoff et al. (1). The combined ether:ethyl acetate and ethyl acetate eluates were subjected to paper chromatography in a propylene glycol: toluene system (2). Zones containing hydrocortisone (F) and corticosterone (B) were located on the paper on the basis of running rates, ultraviolet absorption, blue tetrazolium and dinitrophenylhydrazine color reactions (3). Eluates from these two zones yielded respectively 4.5 mg. of crystalline F and 0.40 mg. of crystalline B.