EPICOPROSTANOL FOUND IN ADIPOCERE FROM 5 HUMAN AUTOPSIES

Adipocere formation is well known as a later postmortem change. We col lected adipocere from five male victims which had been submerged under the sea or fresh water for 1 mon to 4 yr. Fresh subcutaneous fat of a male victim who died from a cerebral contusion was used as the contro l. The samples were homogenized, and the lipids were extracted with ch loroform and methanol followed by injection into a pas chromatograph a nd a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. We detected hydroxy fatty ac ids (10-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid and 10-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid) as w ell as 10-ketooctadecanoic acid in adipocere, but not in the control. In addition, we found for the first time 3. cholesterol-related peak w ith a molecular ion of 388 in adipocere and identified it as epicopros tanol, suggesting not only oxidation but also reduction had occurred d uring the formation of adipocere. In addition, we showed the time-cour se of epicoprostanol accumulation. The relationship between the time o f adipocere formation and tile characteristic lipid composition is dis cussed.