Toxohormone

Abstract

Summary

Extracts of bacteria-free tumor and normal tissues were prepared by methods commonly used to obtain toxohormone and tested by measuring the lowering of plasma iron concentration in rats. The toxohormone extracts of both tumor and normal tissues were active. The plasma iron decrease produced by the extracts could be altered by the methods used in handling the tissue both before extraction and in the final extract. These results provide further evidence that tissue autolysis and procedures employed in extraction and drying can markedly alter the final activity obtained from both tumor and normal tissues. Further proof would, therefore, seem to be required before the synthesis of a tumor toxin, toxohormone, by tumor tissue can be established.