Abstract
Rosenheim's 1 recently announced specific color reaction for ergosterol has been applied to the analysis of tissue from rabbits fed on “Vigantol” (irradiated ergosterol in oil).
The reaction as described by Rosenheim consists in the addition of a saturated aqueous solution of trichloracetic acid to a chloroform solution of the sterol. There is every reason to believe this reaction quite specific for ergosterol or structurally related sterols. We have found after testing many solvents that dichloroethylene (low boiling) is a more satisfactory solvent for the reaction than chloroform. Using this solvent, quantitative estimations of the extracted, partially purified sterols may be made.
Ten adult rabbits were fed “Vigantol” with a stomach tube in doses ranging from 250-870 mg. of irradiated ergosterol. Four were used as controls. Practically all the animals showed the calcification phenomena now well described in the literature. The animals were killed and the organs dried in high vacuum, powdered, extracted with ether (dry), treated with saturated alcoholic barium hydroxide to remove soaps, extracted with petrol ether, the petrol ether evaporated and the residue taken up in dichloroethylene (1 cc.) and treated with one-half cc. of saturated aqueous trichloroacetic acid.
The results show a most striking accumulation of ergosterol in the adrenals and brain with small amounts in the liver and kidneys. Muscular organs appear to be almost free from this substance.
Judging from the color reaction the bone marrow especially seems to contain fairly large amount of a δ1, 2 sterin, the nature of which we are now investigating.
The results are all consistent but the amount of ergosterol found by the color test was not in proportion to the amount of ergosterol (Vigantol) fed, e. g., the highest dosed animal did not have a great deal more ergosterol in his body.
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