Abstract
Thiothiamine, subcutaneously injected in rats, was easily metabolized and excreted in urine to a far less extent compared with thiamine excretion after its injection. The urine, collected after injection of thiothiamine (30mg), showed three main spots (Rf 0.88-0.95,0.7 and 0.3) on paper chromatography (acetic acid・butanol・water). After making the urine alkaline it was extracted by ether and then by butanol, the ether solution contained thiothiamine and the butanol solution was fractionated through column chromatography using cellulose powder. The oily substance of Rf 0.88 and 0.95 on paper chromatogram (acetic acid・butanol・water=1 : 4 : 5), was separated and identified as 2-mercapto-4-methyl-5-β-hydroxyethylthiazole by preparing its picrate (mp. 117℃) which coincided with the picrate from the authentic sample.
