240 CORTEX 



just outlined. Failure to remove this lipid thoroughly from 

 the final aqueous solution will also interfere with the efficient 

 adsorption of the hormone by charcoal. 



ELTJTI0N OF THE HORMONE FROM ITS CHARCOAL COMBINATION 



When large amounts of the charcoal adsorbate are adminis- 

 tered, the efficiency of the utilization of the hormone is reduced, 

 probably because of the incomplete elution of the hormone in 

 its passage through the gastro-intestinal tract. To avoid this 

 loss of activity the hormone must be eluted from the charcoal 

 and administered uncombined. This elution may be satis- 

 factorily accomplished by the following procedure: The char- 

 coal-hormone combination is suspended in three to five times 

 its volume of chloroform. After some hours the chloroform is 

 removed through a Buchner funnel and the process repeated six 

 times. The chloroform is removed by distillation in vacuo 

 leaving a brownish resin soluble in aqueous ethyl alcohol. 

 This alcoholic solution may be administered as such, or the 

 resin may be dissolved in a little ethyl alcohol and incorporated 

 with sodium chloride, lactose, starch, or other suitable carrier 

 and administered in capsules or compressed tablets. 



The use of the product just described avoids the necessity of 

 administering large amounts of inert charcoal. When rela- 

 tively small amounts of the hormone are to be given, the char- 

 coal combination proves adequate. When large doses of hor- 

 mone are necessary, however, the use of excessive amounts of 

 charcoal would be inefficient and undesirable, and in these cases 

 the oral administration of the eluted hormone is preferable. 

 For clinical use, an alcoholic solution (prepared as described 

 above) would offer an ideal vehicle for the administration of the 

 hormone orally. Alcohol (or glycerine) would incidentally 

 serve as a preservative and prevent destruction of the hormone. 



EXTRACTS FOR PARENTERAL ADMINISTRATION 



In cases of patients in crisis and in other conditions in which 

 oral therapy is impossible, the use of a purified aqueous extract 



