Enteric Excretion of Metabolites of Steroid Hormones in the Human Subject. IV. Isolation of 5β-Pregnane-3α,20α-diol from Meconium1

Abstract

Pregnanediol (3α,20α-dihydroxy-5β-pregnane) has been isolated and identified from pools of meconium excreted by male and female infants during the first 24 hr after birth. From 85 to 95% of the steroid was obtained from the sulfate fraction and 5–15% from the glucosiduronate fraction. The isolation of pregnanediol from meconium offers further evidence of fetal metabolism of this steroid, and of the importance of the role of the sulfate conjugate in fetal physiology. The detection of small amounts of pregnanediol in the glucosiduronate fraction indicates that pregnanediol may be a substrate of glucuronyl transferase in the human fetus.