CONJUGATED OESTROGENS. I

Abstract

ABSTRACT A convenient and mild procedure is described in this paper whereby free and conjugated oestrogens may be extracted from urine. The extracts containing approximately 90 per cent of the oestrogens are devoid of most of the extraneous material and may be reduced in volume to less than 1/15 of that of the urine. The procedure consists of the following steps: (1) a 10 per cent (v/v) solution of a high molecular weight secondary amine (Amberlite LA-2, Rohm and Haas) in ethyl acetate is washed with formic acid and water, (2) the oestrogens in urine (acidified to pH 2 or 3 with H2SO4) are extracted with the LA-2 solution, (3) the oestrogen fraction is back-extracted from the organic solution with dilute aqueous ammonia.