CONJUGATED OESTROGENS. III
ABSTRACT The enzymatic hydrolysis (β-glucuronidase) of conjugated oestrogens in human urine has been studied. The urine was collected from postmenopausal women who had received oestradiol-4-14C by intravenous injection. Hydrolysis was carried out for different periods of time and with various concentrations of enzyme and the relative distribution of several hydrolyzed oestrogens determined under these conditions. The oestrogens reported are: 2-methoxyoestrone, oestrone, oestradiol, ketols (16α-hydroxyoestrone plus 16-ketooestradiol), epioestriol and oestriol. The first order rate constant for oestrone was particularly high in comparison with those of the other oestrogens. Two plateaus were observed on the curves of the hydrolysis of several oestrogens (ketols, epioestriol and oestriol) when plotted as a function of time, possibly as a result of multiple conjugation of these oestrogens.