PREPARATION OF CORTICAL HORMONE 239 



eluting the hormone from its adsorbant. Since the charcoal 

 remains in contact with the alkali for only a few minutes dur- 

 ing the washing, no appreciable amount of the hormone is 

 destroyed by this procedure. 



For administration to rodents, dogs, or other experimental 

 animals, the desired amount of charcoal is thoroughly admixed 

 with the food. For clinical application it may be adminis- 

 tered in capsules or compressed into coated tablets to avoid 

 access of air and possible oxidation of the hormone. 



Although the adrenal cortical hormone is rapidly destroyed 

 (probably by autolytic processes) in the adrenal glands after 

 death, the hormone is quite stable in the form of its charcoal 

 adsorbate. Thus a preparation assayed at monthly intervals 

 was found to undergo no detectable deterioration for a period 

 of one year when left exposed at room temperature and in 

 contact with the air. 



The charcoal adsorbate of the hormone, as shown in Figures 

 13 and 15, is capable of maintaining life in adrenalectomized 

 animals, the hormone being eluted in the gastro-intestinal tract 

 from its combination with the charcoal. The ability of the 

 charcoal-hormone preparation to maintain life in adrenalec- 

 tomized dogs has also been demonstrated by the author and his 

 collaborators. 251 



In preparing or purifying extracts of the adrenal, it must be 

 remembered that the cortical hormone attaches itself readily 

 to lipids and is carried down to some extent whenever lipids 

 are precipitated. The hormone thus precipitated may be 

 recovered by dissolving the lipid in alcohol or acetone, diluting 

 with water to precipitate the lipid, distilling off the alcohol or 

 acetone, and adsorbing the hormone on charcoal as described 

 above. When glands are not freshly ground into the acetone 

 used for their extraction, one finds a great accumulation of the 

 extraneous lipid present in the aqueous residue left after remov- 

 ing the solvent. This lipid will contain an appreciable amount 

 of the cortical hormone, which can be recovered by the method 



