CHEMISTRY OF THE SUPRARENAL GLANDS 9T 



by Rosenheim and Tebb and they believe the anisotropic substances in 

 the cortex to consist of free stearic and other fatty acids with cholesterin 

 esters, with some sphingomyelin (Rosenheim and Tebb). 



According to Aschoff, doubly refractive droplets can be formed by 

 lecithin and phosphatids, oleates, cholesterol esters and cholesterol, when 

 dissolved in phosphatids, fatty acids, etc. 



Biedl believes that cholesterin also exists in the cortex as a carnaubic 

 acid ester (Biedl, 1913, ii, 61). However, the actual existence of a "car- 

 naubic acid 77 has been questioned. 



In dry human suprarenal glands Wells found 36.3 per cent of material 

 soluble in ether of which 22.06 per cent was cholesterol and 33 per cent 

 was called lecithin, i. e., 11.8 per cent of the dried tissue, but the report 

 does not state that lecithin was isolated. Usually the extract of the 

 total phosphatids is called lecithin and it is admitted that our chemical 

 knowledge of what is called lecithin is very meagre (Maclean, Mulon ; Ber- 

 nard, Bigart and Labbe). Alexander states that outside of the central ner- 

 vous system no organ contains as much lecithin as the suprarenals. 



Lecithin easily breaks into glycerophosphoric acid and cholin. Loh- 

 mann believes that cholin does not exist as such in the glands, but that 

 it is set free by chemical agents, as the methods used for isolating cholin 

 are such as would free cholin from combination. 



The lipins of the cortex are claimed by Borberg to contain little or 

 no neutral fat (fatty acid triglycerids) but palmitin and stearin were 

 believed to be present by Arnold. 



What was formerly called myelin and which was reported to be present 

 in the cortex ( Yirchow) is now believed to be a mixture of lipins, especially 

 of cholesterol esters. 



Kephalin is believed to be present (Biedl). Orgler claimed the pres- 

 ence of a protagon-like substance, but protagon is now believed to be a mix- 

 ture of cerebrosids, etc. 



Since the cortex seems to be essential to life and the lipoids compose 

 such a large part of it they deserve much attention and physiologic ac- 

 tivity is attributed to them (Iscovesco). Unfortunately we have very slight 

 and very inaccurate knowledge of the chemical constituents of the cortex. 



Cramer (1920) points out that the lipoids do not represent the in- 

 ternal secretion of the cortex as they are not formed in the cortex but 

 are taken up by it from the outside, hence the cortex is a channel by 

 which they pass to their destination. Cramer claims that the disappear- 

 ance of lipoids from the cortex is always accompanied by a paralysis 

 of the gland. 



From the suprarenal glands Manasse isolated a mixture much like, 

 or identical with, what Drechsel had previously obtained from livers and 

 which he had named jecorin. For a long time jecorin was considered 



