Urinary Cholesterol. I. Isolation and Characterization of “Free” Cholesterol in Normal and Pregnant Subjects

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Abstract
Non-esterified (“free”) cholesterol has been isolated and characterized in urines from pregnant and puerperal women. This steroid was also found in normal human urine. Criteria of identification were: thin-layer chromatography of the free and acetylated forms and gas-liquid chromatography of the free, acetate and trimethylsilyl ether derivatives, followed by infrared and X-ray diffraction analysis. The excretion of non-esterified cholesterol in normals was determined by a gas-liquid chromatographic procedure developed by us. The normal range in children was 0.21–0.68 mg/24 hr; in males, 0.44–1.24; and in females, 0.41–1.57. Elevated amounts were found in pregnancy. The urinary levels of this steroid can rise to quantities as high as 70 mg/24 hr during puerperium. Analyses performed in some selected pathologic conditions, as well as the estimation of esterified forms, indicate that the “free” form, possibly conjugated to a protein, is the main excretion product. The findings also suggest the possibility that this urinary steroid may reflect an endogenous pool.

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