Effect of Petroleum Ether Extract of Mouse Carcasses as Solvent in Production of Sarcoma.

Abstract

The production of sarcomata in mice may be influenced by the solvent used for the carcinogenic hydrocarbon.1 Most experiments have been carried out with vegetable oils, lard, cholesterol or paraffin which are effective vehicles for 1:2:5:6-dibenzanthracene, 3:4-benzpyrene and methylcholanthrene. The increase in the incidence of skin tumors in mice following the application of mouse fat to the skin before tarring, as reported by Watson and Mellanby,2 led us to investigate the effect of a petroleum ether extract of mouse tissues as a solvent for 3:4-benzpyrene in the production of connective tissue sarcoma.The extract was prepared by refluxing fresh minced mouse carcasses, from which the stomach and intestines had been excised, with petroleum ether (maximum boiling point 50°C) for 16 hours. The petroleum ether was removed by distillation under reduced pressure. The resulting mixture was turbid, yellow and oily at 37°C. A gray-white, greasy, amorphous precipitate formed on cooling. The whole extract consiste...