Steroids and Sterols in Meconium1

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Thirty-two additional steroids, including testosterone and progesterone, and 3 sterols were detected in meconium excreted by full-term infants during the first 24 hr after birth. Meconium was subjected to procedures previously reported by us for the isolation of steroids from this material. The sulfate fraction was the portion principally taken for study. Traces of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids were found in glucosiduronate, free and petroleum ether fractions. The compounds identified are in general those which have been detected in other fetal sources. The importance of the investigation is related to the nature of meconium. Meconium is a fetal excretory material free from bacterial growth. The compounds present are enteric metabolites contributed by the maternal-fetoplacental unit. These compounds may be excretory end products accumulated during the intrauterine life of the fetus or they may be biliary and intestinal metabolites which enter into a dynamic enterohepatic circulation.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: