Concentration of a Hyperglycemic Factor from Urine of Schizophrenics

Abstract

With the aim of isolating and characterizing the hyperglycemic factor occurring in the urine of some schizophrenics (Meduna and Vaichulis, Diseases Nervous System 9: 248. 1948,) the crude solid, obtained by acidifying the urine to pH 4.5 and centrifuging, was fractionated by washing with ethanol and ether, extraction into dilute alkali, precipitation at pH 3, deionization by ion-exchange, treatment with adsorbent charcoal, and tryptic digestion. Bioassay for induced hyperglycemia (by measuring blood-sugar rise in fasted rats following intraperitoneal injn. of a soln. of material) showed increased potency at each stage; the final product was 15 to 20 times as potent as the crude. Chemical and physical properties, including u.-v. and infrared spectra, of the most active fraction indicate that it is a protein or conjugated protein. A comparable fractionation of pooled, normal male urine gave no measurable quantity of the factor.