Zur Bestimmung der Fettsäurekomponente einiger nichtionisierbaren oberflächenaktiven Tumorauslösersubstanzen

Summary

A study was made of the fatty acid components of a number of commercial non-ionic surface active tumour promoting agents (sorbitan fatty acid esters, and polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters). According to the animal experiments carried out in this laboratory, there is season to believe that — in addition to given physico-chemical properties required of an effective surface active tumour promoter of the above mentioned type — the fatty acid coponent would be of significance.

For identification of the fatty acids a technique was developed which was based on the capacity of lipase to free fatty acids by splitting the ester bonds; as a result of this the lipophilic-hydrophilic materials became decomposed. The liberated fatty acids were analyzed paperchromatographically, and the spots examined under ultraviolet light. The results were compared with values obtained with corresponding pure fatty acids.

It was demonstrated that the non-ionic surface active agents investigated contained only the one fatty acid which it has been declared to do.

The results are discussed, with special emphasis on the fact that — although the lipase action in the present work was employed for analytic purpose only — this phenomenon has an important aspect: through decomposing by the lipase, non-ionic lipophilic-hydrophilic tumour promoters („co-carcinogenic lipids”) lose their capacity, i. e., it is possible to influence by biological means the effectiveness of a tumour promoter.