Phloridzin 



541 



2 70 (2230) 



A study of phloridzin and its derivatives. Part I. 

 By ALBERT A. EPSTEIN and EUGENIE HIRSCHBERG-MAECHLING. 



[From the Laboratory of Physiological Chemistry of Mt. Sinai 

 Hospital, New York City.] 



The present work constitutes part of a study on the pharma- 

 cology of phloridzin and its derivatives. It is based on some 

 earlier observations 1 concerning the influence of phloridzin on 

 the formation of glycogen in the liver under certain experimental 

 conditions. The results of the experiments referred to seemed 

 to indicate that phloridzin possesses a two-fold action : namely, 

 that of causing glycosuria, and that of stimulating the formation 

 of glycogen in the liver. These experiments showed further 

 that animals which had been rendered diabetic by pancreatec- 

 tomy, and in which the glycosuria was interfered with by re- 

 moval of the kidneys, the blood-sugar content was generally 

 lower in those which had received phloridzin, than in those which 

 had not received it. 



It therefore seemed reasonable to suppose that if a means 

 could be found by which phloridzin could be deprived of its 

 glycosuric action, its effect on the formation of glycogen and 

 the reduction of the blood-sugar would be made manifest. 



Notwithstanding the importance of phloridzin in the study 

 of certain problems of metabolism, little information is available 

 concerning its derivatives. 



In view of the object of our investigation the work is com- 

 prised of two phases : first, an examination of the pharmacologi- 

 cal effects of known derivatives of phloridzin and second, the 

 preparation and study of new compounds of this substance. 



The purpose of the present communication is to state our 

 problem and to record the new compounds which have been 

 prepared and identified. The following is a list of the sub- 

 stances : 



(1.) Tetrabenzoylphloridzin : This was obtained by the 

 action of benzoyl chloride on phloridzin in pyridin. The sub- 



i Epstein, A. A., and Baehr, G., Jour. Biol Chcm., 1916, xxiv, L 



