Isolation of Progesterone and Allopregnanolone from the Adrenal

Abstract

THE presence in the adrenal gland of material possessing progestational activity was reported by Engelhart¹, who obtained lipoid extracts which produced cestrous and progestational effects in the uterus of the immature rabbit. Callow and Parkes² confirmed these findings, and showed that a fractionation of the active materials was possible by the method of Allen and Meyer³. They suggested, in view of the structure of the substances already isolated from the adrenal cortex, that the material responsible for the progestational activity might be progesterone or a closely allied compound.