Abstract
ALCOHOLIC extracts of fresh spleen from cattle contain high amounts, up to 10 µgm. adrenaline equivalents per gm. tissue, of a cardio-accelerator and blood-pressure raising substance, showing the characteristic properties of a sympathomometic catechol compound1. The active substance was taken up in an ether solution of organ lipids and extracted from this with a 5–10 per cent solution of sodium sulphate. A further purification was attained by treatment with sublimate in alcohol, which left the active substance in the filtrate. The purified extract was found to differ from adrenaline in the following respects. Ergotamine, in a dose which inhibited or reversed the action of adrenaline, was not equally effective in inhibiting the pressor action on the cat's blood-pressure ; the isolated uterus of the virgin or non-pregnant cat was rather less inhibited than by an equipressor dose of adrenaline, and the same applied to the isolated intestine of the rabbit. The relative dilating effect on the iris was considerably greater with adrenaline. Whereas equipressor doses of adrenaline and the spleen pressor substance gave similar catechol reactions with ferric chloride, the fluorescence reaction in alkaline solution2 was absent in purified spleen extracts. The active substance in spleen thus conforms better with an amino-base, such as nor-adrenaline, than with adrenaline.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Euler, U. S. v., Nature, 156, 18 (1945).
Gaddum, J. H., and Schild, H., J. Physiol, 80, 9 P (1934).
Barger, G., and Dale, H. H., J. Physiol., 41, 19 (1910).
Cannon, W. B., and Rosenblueth, A., Amer. J. Physiol, 104, 557 (1933). Greer, C. M., Pinkston, J. O., Baxter, J. H., and Brannon, E. S., J. Pharm. Exp. Ther., 62, 189 (1935).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
EULER, U. A Substance with Sympathin E Properties in Spleen Extracts. Nature 157, 369 (1946). https://doi.org/10.1038/157369b0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/157369b0
This article is cited by
-
Forty years of the adrenal chromaffin cell through ISCCB meetings around the world
Pflügers Archiv - European Journal of Physiology (2023)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.