Abstract
Study was made of 3-oxo steroids isolated from the seeds of Cannabis sativa L. The lipid fraction was chromatographed to give 5α-steroidal 3-one fraction and steroidal 4-en-3-one fraction. Examination by GC-MS indicated 24-methyl-5α-cholestan-3-one and 24-ethyl-5α-cholestan-3-one to be present in the former and 24-methylcholest-4-en-3-one and 24-ethylcholest-4-en-3-one in the latter. Campesterol and campestanol along with brassinosteroids, teasterone and castasterone were previously detected in these seeds and in the present study, 24-methyl-5α-cholestan-3-one and 24-methylcholest-4-en-3-one were found. It thus follows that the early biosynthetic reaction of brassinosteroids, campesterol →24-methylcholest-4-en-3-one→24-methyl-5α-cholestan-3-one→campestanol quite likely occurs in the seeds of C. sativa.
