Hydrolysis of 17-ketosteroid conjugates in urine.

Abstract

Jensen and Totterman (1) claimed that the partial destruction and transformation of the β-17-ketosteroids, during hydrolysis of their conjugates by mineral acids, could be lessened by a two-stage ether extraction; firstly after an overnight boiling of non-acidified urine, and secondly after hydrolysis of the same material with mineral acid in the usual way. The results given by this technique have been compared with those given by a more usual hydrolysis in which the urine is boiled with 10 per cent hydrochloric acid for ten minutes and then extracted with ether. The results of hydrolysis of the 17-ketosteroid conjugates of five urines by the two methods are shown in Table 1 and do not confirm those of Jensen and Totterman. The reason for this discrepancy is not clear. The total 17-ketosteroid yield by their method was less than 60 per cent of that given by the method used in this laboratory.