An Experiment in Feeding Wheat-Germ Oil Prepared by Ether Extraction

Abstract

Experimental production of sarcomas in white rats by the feeding of oil prepared by ether extraction of raw wheat germ was first reported by Rowntree (1) and associates. Malignant intra-abdominal tumors appeared as early as fifteen days and as late as two hundred days in animals continuously receiving wheat-germ oil in amounts varying from 1 to 4 c.c. per rat per day. Practically all the rats thus fed developed malignant tumors which were histologically sarcomas. An attempt to reproduce this experiment was undertaken by the author. The services of a research chemist and the facilities of a large commercial experimental chemical laboratory were obtained to aid in the preparation of wheat-germ oil. The first batches were prepared after Rowntree's method, which consisted of extraction of wheat germ with ether and washing the extract with sodium hydroxide solution to remove fatty acids. Later the sodium hydroxide washing was abandoned. The oil was subsequently obtained by percolation as suggested by Rowntree et al (3). Part of the animals used were young commercial white rats and others were Wistar strain rats. Control rats were fed a refined wheat-germ oil, “Vio-Bin wheat-germ oil,” and other controls received dry raw wheat germ. All animals were kept on a standard balanced diet. The oil was mixed with the food for those receiving oil. The results are presented in the accompanying table.