BIOGENESE VON ÖSTRATETRAENOL BEIM MENSCHEN

Incubation of androsta-4,16-dien-3-one with 10 000 × g supernatant of human placenta tissue resulted in the formation of a phenolic metabolite. This was isolated and subsequently identified as oestratetraen-3-ol by its melting point, paper chromatography, and the absorption curves of the sulphuric acid water reaction and the Kober reaction. The conversion of androsta-4,16-dien-3-one to oestratetraen-3-ol was approximately 25%, whereas under similar conditions testosterone was aromatised to oestradiol-17β (and oestrone) in a 30% yield. The significance of these results is discussed with regard to the conversion of testosterone to 16,17-epioestriol.