The fatty acids of phrenosin and kerasin

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Abstract
Several series of binary mixtures of [eta]-fatty acids of chain length from C21 to C25 have been prepared, and their melting points and lone crystal spacings detd. The data thus obtained have been used to investigate the composition of the fatty acid components of the brain cerebrosides phrenosin and kerasin, which has been the cause of some controversy in recent years. Brain contains at least 3 phrenosins (cerebrons) whose acidic components are [alpha]-hydroxy-[eta]-docosanoic, [alpha]-hydroxy-[eta]-tetracosanoic and [alpha]-hydroxy-[eta]-hexacosanoic acids respectively. Phrenosinic (cerebronic) acid is a mixture of these acids. Brain also contains at least 3 kerasins, whose acidic components are n-docosanoic, n-tetracosanoic and n-hexacosanoic acids respectively. Evidence that "lignoceric" acid is a mixture is summarized, and the suggestion made that the name is misleading and should be abandoned.