Improvements in process for obtaining certain remedial principles of oils

摘要

The antirachitic principle of oils is extracted by treating the oil with 95 per cent alcohol or other neutral organic solvent, precipitating the free fatty acids also dissolved as insoluble soaps, such as those of the alkaline earth metals, and dissolving out the active principle from the precipitate by means of a solvent such as acetone. According to the example, cod-liver oil is extracted with 95 per cent alcohol, sodium hydroxide then added to form the sodium soaps of the free fatty acids present, the insoluble calcium soaps precipitated by the addition of calcium chloride and the soaps finally treated with acetone. Further purification is effected by extracting the concentrated acetone solution with ether, washing the ether extract with dilute alkali and acid, and distilling to obtain the active principle as a brown waxy material. Other fish-liver oils and fish-oils such as Menhaden oils may also be used. Specification 3075/15 is referred to. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 (3) (a) describes also a modified process in which the whole of the oil is first saponified with alcoholic sodium hydroxide and the products dissolved in water; the solution is then either extracted with ether, the extract dissolved in alcohol and evaporated to crystallize out the cholesterol, the remainder containing the antirachitic principle or alternatively, calcium chloride is added to precipitate the calcium soaps, which are extracted with alcohol and the dissolved cholesterol removed from the antirachitic principle by crystallization. Besides fish oils and fish-liver oils, vegetable oils may also be treated. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.