Hyocholic acid structure

The prefixes glyco- and tauro- prevail all others, i.e. glyco-hyocholic acid. F igure 8.11. Structure and nomenclature of bile acids. 

The occurrence of a species-specific bile acid in pig bile [Haslewood (1) Haslewood and Sjovall (2)] and of two such acids in rat bile [Bergstrom and Sjovall (3) Hsia et al. (4) Matschiner et al. (5)] was observed almost simultaneously. After their isolation and characterization, these acids were found to be isomeric 3a,6,7-trihydroxy-5/5-cholanic acids. The acid from pig bile was named hyocholic acid [Haslewood (6) Ziegler (7)], and the two acids from rat bile were named a- and /3-muricholic acids [Hsia et al. (8)]. The fourth isomer of these glycols was identified as a metabolite of hyodeoxycholic acid (3rt,6a-dihydroxy-5 9-cholanic acid) in the rat [Matschiner et al. (9, 10)], and was named ry-muricholic acid [Hsia et al. (8)]. The vicinal glycol structures in ring B of these acids are unique features, but even more unique are their species-specific characteristics which are particularly demonstrated in the metabolic pathways that lead to their formation. 

The structure of hyocholic acid was proposed by Haslewood (24) and by Ziegler (7) to be 3a,6a,7 -trihydroxy-5 -cholanic acid (I, Fig. 1). Since it was known that pig bile contains hyodeoxycholic acid (3a,6a-dihydroxy) and chenodeoxycholic acid (3a,7a-dihydroxy) the bile was assumed to contain possibly also an acid with both 6a- and 7a-hydroxyl groups. Chemical evidence for the vicinal glycol structure in hyocholic acid was found after chromic oxidation. The product, 3-keto-6,7-secocholanic acid-6,7-dioic... 

Fig. 1. Structure of hyocholic acid. [Adapted from Haslewood (24) and Ziegler (7).]...

Hyocholic acid forms an acetonide (IV). Although it could not be crystallized [Ziegler (7) Haslewood (24)], its formation was substantiated by chromatographic mobility and data of quantitative acetylation. Formation of the acetonide gave evidence for the m-glycol structure in hyocholic acid. The a-orientation of this 6,7-glycol was deduced from data of molecular rotations. Based on values from Barton and Klyne (34), the calculated molecular rotation of 3a,6a,7a-trihydroxy-5/3-cholanic acid would be —13 and that of the 3a,6a,7 -isomer, +249. The observed molecular rotation of hyocholic acid was +19. It was therefore concluded that hyocholic acid is the 3a,6a,7a rather than the 3a,6/3,7/3-isomer [Ziegler (7)]. 

Confirmative evidence of the proposed structure was obtained from partial synthesis of hyocholic acid [Hsia et al. (30)]. An important intermediate in the synthesis was 3a,6a-dihydroxy-7-keto-5 -cholanic acid (VII, Fig. 2), first prepared by Takeda et al. (35). The 3 - and 6a-hydroxyl groups in VII were established by the formation of hyodeoxycholic acid (IX) after hydrogenolysis of the ethylenedithioketal derivative (VIII) with Raney nickel. Hyocholic acid was obtained from VII either by reduction with sodium borohydride or by hydrogenation in the presence of platinum both methods were known to produce the axially oriented 7a-hydroxy from 7-keto bile acids [Mosbach et al. (36) Iwasaki (37)]. More direct evidence for the la-hydroxyl group in hyocholic acid was found in a later study [Hsia et al. (8)], when hyocholic acid was derived from bromohydrin acetate XII (Fig. 3),... 

Hyocholic acid is a major acid in pig bile and isolation of hyocholic acid from this natural source is feasible. Partial synthesis of hyocholic acid from cholic acid is therefore of interest in verifying its structure rather than for the purpose of obtaining the material. On the other hand, the muricholic acids are minor constituents of rat bile. Isolation of these acids in large amounts would not be practical, and partial syntheses remain the necessary means to provide pure muricholic acids in useful quantities. 

The main bile acids present in man, rat, rabbit, and pig are illustrated in Fig. 4. All occur as taurine or glycine conjugates. Hydroxyl functions are found at one or more of the following positions 3a. 6a. 7a, and I2a. The 6a-hydroxylated structures appear thus far to be exclusive for the pig whose bile acids consist in major of chenodeoxycholic and hyocholic acids. 6j3-Hydroxylated acids are only formed to a minor extent. The 7/5-hydroxylated derivative isolated after the administration of chenodeoxycholic acid to the rat (Hsia et al., 1958) has been shown through experiments with a C-7j8 tritiated structure to arise through the inversion of the 7a-hydroxy isomer via the keto structure (Bergstrom et al., 1960b). 16a-Hydroxylated acids have been isolated from boas and pythons but not from a variety of other species of snakes examined (Hazlewood, 1959). The most recent references to pertinent studies are listed in Table I. 

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