Evaluation of hydrolytic products of 17-ketosteroids by means of gas-liquid chromatography.

In the course of evaluating urinary 17-ketosteroid (17-KS) gas-liquid chromatographic patterns, a number of peaks with retention times shorter than that of 17-KS were constantly observed. This backgroundmaterial was found to be degradation products of 17-KS produced by HCI hydrolysis. A study with pure 17-KS as a mixture and as individual steroids was used to identify the steroids responsible for most of the 9 compounds with retention times less than etiocholanolone. Hydrolysis in ethyl acetate containing perchloric acid produced smaller amounts of degradation products than HCI-hydrolysis. Enzymatic hydrolysisappears to be the most acceptable system for preparation of the extracts from urine for this system of assay.