Charles E. Morreal

Urinary Excretion of Estrone, Estradiol, and Estriol in Postmenopausal Women With Primary Breast Cancer

The daily excretion of estrone, estradiol, and estriol was determined for 22 normal women and 35 women with primary breast cancer. The excretion of the hormones (measured in microgram/24 hr) in the breast cancer group was elevated and showed a statistical significance of P less than 0.001. The same wide difference between the 2 groups was also noted when excretion was expressed in terms of the body area of the individuals and when women of similar ages were compared.

An improved method for the detection of estrone, estradiol, and estriol in low titer urine

Abstract The availability of highly sensitive electron-capture gas Chromatographic detection of halogenated compounds has prompted the application of this technique to the fluorinated esters of phenolic hormones. Purification of urinary specimens by several conventional techniques were found to be inadequate since commercial thin-layer plates, ion exchange resin and silica gel were all found to contain impurities which precluded the acquisition of samples sufficiently clean for gas chromatography. We offer here a method which includes purification of phenolic fractions by extraction from sodium carbonate solution followed by modified ion-exchange chromatography and thin-layer chromatography on re-precipitated silica gel.

Analysis of the epoxide of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene and its hydrolysis products by gas chromatography

Abstract Column chromatography and electron-capture gas chromatography have been applied to the separation and quantitative analysis of the K-region epoxide of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene, 5-hydroxy-7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene, and trans-5,6-dihydro-5,6-dihydroxy-7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene. Deactivation of chromatographic alumina with water permitted quantitative elution of the three compounds. In a solution of acetone and water, the epoxide was hydrolyzed to the 5,6-diol, but none of the 5-hydroxy derivative was formed.

Protection of estrogenic hormones by ascorbic acid during chromatography

Abstract Oxidative decomposition of phenolic hormones during thin-layer chromatography can be avoided by the incorporation of ascorbic acid into the plates. The application of this technique to the purification of urinary extracts is described.

Isolation and identification of estriol in urine of castrated and adrenalectomized women receiving 4-14C-testosterone

Abstract The bioconversion of testosterone to phenolic estrogens was further investigated. After the administration of testosterone-4- 14 C to 4 castrated and adrenal ectomized patients with cancer of the breast, estrone and estriol were isolated from the urine. The radio-chemical purity and identity of the 14 C-labeled conversion products were ascertained by paper chromatography, counter-current distribution, thin layer chromatography and carrier crystallization. The study also demonstrated that the neutral metabolite, etiocholanolone, was a contaminant in the phenolic extract and must be removed by an 8-tube transfer separation technique.

A method for the separation of polar androgens from estrogens

Abstract Multiple partition between ether and 1 N NaOH has been developed as a fast and efficient method of separating phenolic estrogens from both polar and nonpolar neutral metabolites. The applicability of the technique was demonstrated by the purification of phenolic extracts derived from three adrenalectomized and oophorectomized women with breast cancer who had ingested doses of either testosterone or DHEA.